Browning evaluation of ready-to-eat apples as affected by modified atmosphere packaging.
The color and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity of fresh-cut Golden delicious apples were evaluated throughout cold storage under modified atmospheres. The shelf life of cut apples was extended to several weeks, especially when an initial atmosphere of 90.5% N(2) + 7% CO(2) + 2.5% O(2) and plastic pouches of 30 cm(3)/cm(2) x bar x 24 h were used. Under these conditions, a maximum 62% PPO activity depletion was observed. In all cases, the faster the initial PPO activity decays, the less the color changes. A fractional conversion first-order model was proposed for predicting color changes in minimally processed apples. Browning was better described through lightness (L) (k(L) = 0.017 - 0.07 day(-1)) and color difference (Delta E*) values (k(Delta E) = 0.015 - 0.073 day(-1)), which fitted the model with enough accuracy.
Soliva-Fortuny
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RC
Department of Food Technology, UTPV-CeRTA, University of Lleida, Rovira Roure 177, 25198 Lleida, Spain.
Grigelmo-Miguel
N
N
Odriozola-Serrano
I
I
Gorinstein
S
S
Martín-Belloso
O
O
D001272:Atmosphere; D004156:Catechol Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D003116:Color; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation; D005638:Fruit / Q000201:enzymology*; D015416:Maillard Reaction
D004156:Catechol Oxidase