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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #312183
Title: Effect of hot water dips on the quality of fresh-cut ´Ryan Sun´ peaches

Author
item OBANDO-ULLOA, JAVIER - UNIVERSITY OF CHILE
item JIMÉNEZ, VANESCA - UNIVERSITY OF CHILE
item MACHUCA-VARGAS, ALEJANDRA - UNIVERSITY OF CHILE
item BEAULIEU, JOHN
item INFANTE, RODRIGO - UNIVERSITY OF CHILE
item ESCALONA-CONTRERAS, VICTOR - UNIVERSITY OF CHILE

Submitted to: IDESIA
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/29/2014
Publication Date: 1/15/2015
Citation: Obando-Ulloa, J.M., Jiménez, V., Machuca-Vargas, A., Beaulieu, J.C., Infante, R., Escalona-Contreras, V.H. 2015. Hot water dips effect on the quality of fresh-cut ´Ryan Sun´ peaches. IDESIA. 33(1):13-26.

Interpretive Summary: Brief abiotic shocks, such as hot water dips; hot water brushing, hot air treatments, and infrared surface application have emerged as potential alternatives to chemical treatment to enhance produce shelf life; however, they have shown profound effects on the metabolism of the tissue, and keeping quality of fresh-cut produce and affect product physiology. Regardless, variations and adaptations in these treatments have been used on several commodities to achieve a desired effect (pest control, pathogen control, or direct effects on the commodity itself) without causing physiological damage. Hot water treatments can be applied before or after processing. Hot water treatments after cutting have been tested with good results on fresh-cut pears, tomatoes, cantaloupes, chinese water chestnut, lettuce, celery, cucumber seedling radicles, rice seedlings, and peaches. Fresh-cut products are an important developing food product category, and as a response of current lifestyles they are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and nutritious and fresh-like quality; however, fresh-cut produce has limited shelf life because preparation involves physically injuring the tissue; producing subsequent physiological, physical and chemical responses (increasing respiration rate and ethylene production, flavor loss, cut surface discoloration, browning, color loss, decay, increased rate of vitamin loss, rapid softening, shrinkage, and a shorter storage-life) which influences the consumers’ acceptability. The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of hot water dips on the quality of fresh-cut ´Ryan Sun´ peaches applied before or after processing. Fresh-cut ´Ryan Sun´ were packaged and stored 6 d at 5 °C. The results demonstrated the efficiency of hot water dips at 50 °C for 3 minutes, before fresh-cut processing, on 'Ryan Sun' peaches to maintain the firmness, lightness, and hue angle of the flesh color. In addition, this treatment allowed the fresh-cut peaches to have the highest TA, which positively influenced the product flavor and then the consumer’s acceptability.

Technical Abstract: Fresh-cut products are an important developing food product category, and as a response of current lifestyles they are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience, nutritious and fresh-like quality; however, fresh-cut produce has limited shelf life because preparation involves physically injuring the tissue producing subsequent physiological, physical and chemical responses (increasing respiration rate and ethylene production, flavor loss, cut surface discoloration, browning, color loss, decay, increased rate of vitamin loss, rapid softening, shrinkage and a shorter storage-life), which influences the consumers’ acceptability. The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of hot water dips on the quality of fresh-cut ´Ryan Sun´ peaches, applied before or after processing. Fresh-cut ´Ryan Sun´ were packaged and stored 6 d at 5 °C. respiration rate, firmness, pH, titratable acidy, total phenol content, antioxidant activity and sensory quality were assessed throughout storage. The results demonstrated the efficiency of hot water dips at 50 °C for 3 minutes, before fresh-cut processing on 'Ryan Sun' peaches to maintain the firmness, lightness, and hue angle of the flesh color. This was likely as a result of the inactivation of enzymes related to browning and softening. In addition, this treatment allowed the fresh-cut peaches to have the highest TA, which positively influenced the product flavor and then the consumer’s acceptability.