PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE SHELF LIFE OF MINIMALLY PROCESSED CANTALOUPE MELON STORED IN PROTECTIVE ATMOSPHERE

Physical and biological processes are the main causes for spoilage.
Many technological solutions have been developed to stabilize products, obtaining a shelf life suitable for marketing and distribution demands.
A novel packaging technology (Modified Atmosphere Packaging – MAP) was proved to be quite useful for fresh horticultural product preservation, being capable to keep for a relative long time the original hygienic and sensory quality of these products, by simply modifying the gas composition in the package headspace.
This research concerns the application of this packaging technology on melon slices (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus ‘Zagar’): a ready to eat product, which before distribution and use, undergoes some preliminary processes (washing, peel and seeds elimination, cut and packaging). Melon samples were packaged in trays containing three different gas mixtures: A = 78% N₂, 21% O₂, 1% CO₂ (assumed as control); B = 90% N₂, 5% O₂, 5% CO₂ and C = 85% N₂, 10% O₂, 5% CO₂. Each tray was stored at 4±1°C for 10 days.
During this period, microbiological, sensory and instrumental analyses were performed after 4, 7 and 10 days of storage, so to get informations on product quality decay, its sensory profile evaluation and the nature of physical, chemical or biological degradative phenomena.

V International Postharvest Symposium

V. Nicolais, F. Villani, T. Maturi, G. Barbieri

fresh-cut fruit, MAP, microorganism, sensory analyses

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.682.260