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Marketability of ready-to-eat cactus pear as affected by temperature and modified atmosphere

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Abstract

In order to increase the diffusion of cactus pear fruits, in this study, the proper maturity index for peeling and processing them as ready-to-eat product was evaluated and characterized. Thereafter, the effects of different storage temperatures and modified atmosphere conditions on the marketability of ready-to-eat cactus pear were studied. The storage of ready-to-eat fruits at 4 °C in both passive (air) and semi-active (10 kPa O2 and 10 kPa CO2) modified atmosphere improved the marketability by 30%, whereas the storage at 8 °C caused a dangerous reduction in O2 partial pressure inside modified atmosphere packages, due to fruits’ increased metabolic activity. A very low level of initial microbial growth was detected, while a severe increase in mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria was shown in control samples at both temperatures during storage; an inhibitory effect of modified atmosphere on microbial growth was also observed. In conclusion, modified atmosphere improved only the marketability of fruits stored at 4 °C; whereas the storage at 8 °C resulted in deleterious effects on the ready-to-eat fruits, whether stored in air or in modified atmosphere.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Regione Puglia under the project “FIKISSIMO SNACK”—Regional Program “Principi Attivi—Giovani Idee per una Puglia migliore”. The Authors thank Federico Baruzzi, expert in microbiology, for the help in the discussion of microbiological data. They thank also Stephanie Thrasher Ph.D. for the language review of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sciences of Food Production, CNR-National Research Council of Italy, Via G. Amendola, 122/O-70126, Bari, Italy

    Maria Cefola, Massimiliano Renna & Bernardo Pace

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  1. Maria Cefola
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  2. Massimiliano Renna
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  3. Bernardo Pace
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Correspondence to Bernardo Pace.

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Cefola, M., Renna, M. & Pace, B. Marketability of ready-to-eat cactus pear as affected by temperature and modified atmosphere. J Food Sci Technol 51, 25–33 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-011-0470-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-011-0470-5

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