QUALITY OF FRESH-CUT STRAWBERRY DURING STORAGE

To investigate the quality of fresh-cut strawberry during storage, fruits were cut into 5 mm slices and stored at 5°C. To assess the effect of cutting, intact fruit were also stored at the same temperature.
Fruits were washed, dipped in sodium isocyanurate solution for 5 min then sliced manually into pieces of approximately 5 mm thick, and packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) trays.
Packages were stored for up to 8 d, and samples taken every 2 d for physical and chemical analysis (pH, total acidity CTA), soluble solids content (SSC), firmness (N), colour (value L*, a* and b*) and respiration.
Fresh-cut strawberry showed lower SSC and firmness, lighter colour and higher respiratory activity than intact fruit.
Linear increases in a* value during storage were observed for both processed and intact fruits.
Fresh-cut strawberries showed good quality for up to 4 d after cutting.

XXVII International Horticultural Congress – IHC2006: International Symposium on The Role of Postharvest Technology in the Globalisation of Horticulture

M.C. Botelho, S.C. Leme, E.E. Nunes, M.B.V. Boas, E.V. de B.V. Boas, A.B. Chitarra

softening, colour, respiration

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.768.39