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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #215441
Title: Fruit and Vegetables

Author
item BARTH, MARGARET - USDA
item HANKINSON, THOMAS - USDA
item Zhuang, Hong
item Breidt, Frederick

Submitted to: Compendium
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2008
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Consumption of fruit and vegetable products has dramatically increased by more than 30% over the last few decades in the U.S. It is also estimated that about 20% of all fruit and vegetables produced is lost each year due to spoilage. The focus of this chapter is to provide a general background on microbiological spoilage of fruit and vegetable products that include the categories of fresh pre- and post-harvest, fresh-cut, fermented and acidified. This chapter will cover characteristics of spoilage organisms associated with each of these categories of fruit and vegetables that impact market and shelf-life attributes along with factors and mechanisms contributing to spoilage patterns. Measures for prevention and control along with methods for detection will be discussed.