ARS | Publication request: OPTIMIZATION OF A SANITATION SYSTEM FOR FRESH CUT MANGOES, AND USE OF SURFACE TREATMENTS AND COATINGS TO IMPROVE FRESH CUT MANGO QUALITY

Submitted to: International Fresh Cut Produce Association Annual Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 3, 2005
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: A sanitation system was studied for whole and fresh cut mangoes obtained from a farm in Homestead, Florida. Cut mango slices from whole fruit sanitized with a commercial formula of peroxyacetic acid/ hydrogen dioxide (PA) at 1% and dipped in diluted (0.5%) PA or in acidified NaOCl (200 ppm) had less microbial contamination than slices from whole fruit sanitized with commercial bleach (200 ppm NaOCl). When whole fruit were sanitized with commercial bleach, a sanitation dip of fresh cut mango slices with PA or acidified NaOCl reduced microbial count from unsanitized slices in some cases. Additional surface treatments were applied to cut ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ mangoes. Sliced mangoes were dipped 20 sec. in a solution of 2% calcium ascorbate, 0.8% citric acid and 0.4% N-acetyl-L-cysteine (aqueous dip), followed or not by a 20 sec dip in a coating solution of 1% CMC with 0.5% maltodextrin or 0.5% carrageenan. A fourth treatment, applied on ‘Tommy Atkins’ slices only, consisted of 0.5% chitosan in 5% citric acid with 0.5% glycerol as a plasticizer. Mango slices were drained and stored in clamshell containers at 5 °C. For both cultivars, fruit treated with the aqueous dip without coating maintained the best visual quality in storage, measured as the highest L* and b* values, followed by fruit treated with the aqueous dip and CMC coating. Cut ‘Tommy Atkins’ mangoes stored 20 days and coated with CMC had the lowest firmness and chitosan-treated fruit the highest firmness. For ‘Keitt’ slices, the aqueous dip maintained higher firmness in storage, but there were no differences in firmness perception by a sensory panel. There were no differences between treatments for titratable acidity (TA) and pH in ‘Tommy Atkins’ slices at any time in storage. However, for ‘Keitt', the aqueous dip treated mango slices had the lowest total soluble solids content (TSS) and highest fruit TA, and were initially perceived as less sweet by panelists. ‘Keitt’ control slices had the highest overall fruitiness flavor rating on the first day, but after 5 days, CMC and carrageenan-coated slices had higher “piney” flavor, and carrageenan had high “green” flavor as well. This suggests that polysaccharide coatings may improve flavor in storage. Overall, stored mango quality could be improved by a treatment with 2% calcium ascorbate, 0.8% citric acid, and antioxidants. The optimum sanitation system is treatment of whole fruit with the peroxyacetic acid formulation, followed by sanitation of cut slices with PA or acidified NaOCl.