title: Quality changes of fresh-cut pomegranate arils during shelf life as affected by deficit irrigation and postharvest vapour treatments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of two sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) strategies, compared to a control, on postharvest physicochemical, microbial, sensory quality attributes and anthocyanin content of fresh-cut pomegranates arils throughout 18 days at 5 °C was studied. Furthermore, the effect of vapour treatments (4, 7 and 10 s) compared to a conventional sanitizing treatment with NaClO on such quality parameters in combination with the preharvest treatments was also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to sensory analyses, the shelf life of arils from control and SDI-irrigated fruit was established in 14 and 18 days at 5 °C, respectively, showing 4 and 7 s vapour treatment time the best sensory quality. No significant change was observed in physicochemical quality attributes, across all treatments during storage, while low microbial loads were registered (<3 log CFU g(-1)) after shelf life. Postharvest treatments that had least effect on anthocyanin content on processing day were 7 and 10 s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vapour treatments of 7-10 s applied to pomegranate arils led to an extended shelf life up to 18 days at 5 °C with better results in SDI-irrigated samples with a water saving of 6-11%.
authors.affiliation: Postharvest and Refrigeration Group, Department of Food Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30203, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: María E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Peña-Estévez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biotechnology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Perla A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Postharvest and Refrigeration Group, Department of Food Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30203, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.|Institute of Plant Biotechnology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Artés
authors.affiliation: Postharvest and Refrigeration Group, Department of Food Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30203, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.|Institute of Plant Biotechnology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Encarna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguayo
authors.affiliation: Postharvest and Refrigeration Group, Department of Food Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30203, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.|Institute of Plant Biotechnology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Ginés Benito
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Martínez-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biotechnology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otón
authors.affiliation: Irrigation Department, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CSIC), E-30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galindo
authors.affiliation: Postharvest and Refrigeration Group, Department of Food Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30203, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.|Institute of Plant Biotechnology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Artés-Hernández
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation; D061353:Food Storage; D005638:Fruit / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000592:standards; D005740:Gases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018526:Plant Transpiration; D013227:Steam; D013649:Taste; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005740:Gases; D013227:Steam; D014867:Water
keywords: anthocyanins; deficit irrigation; minimally processed; physicochemical; scanning electron microscopy