Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of ripeness on the shelf-life of fresh-cut melon preserved by modified atmosphere packaging

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Food Research and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fresh-cut ‘Piel de Sapo’ melon was processed at different ripeness stages and stored under modified atmosphere packaging for 35 days at 5 °C. Raw material firmness and soluble solids content ranged from 6.5 to 3.9 N and 11.1 to 14.3 °Brix, respectively. The effects of a 2.5 kPa O2+7 kPa CO2 packaging atmosphere and a dip of 1% ascorbic acid and 0.5% calcium chloride on physiology, microbiological stability as well as color and firmness were evaluated. An intermediate stage of ripeness at processing was the most suitable to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut ‘Piel de Sapo’ melon. Green-mature fresh-cut melon reduced CO2 accumulation and ethanol production. In addition, a treatment with ascorbic acid and calcium chloride in combination with modified atmosphere packaging, contributed to a greater extension of the shelf-life of fresh-cut melon than that reported for fruits stored under non-modified atmosphere, slowing down the growth of microbial populations, maintaining the original color and reducing softness. Thus, the shelf-life of green-mature fresh-cut ‘Piel de Sapo’ melon dipped in an ascorbic acid and calcium chloride solution and packaged under modified atmosphere was about 10 days.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Valdenegro M, Flores FB, Romojaro F, Ramírez M, Martínez-Madrid MC (2004) Susceptibility of Spanish melon fruits to chilling injury during cold storage. In: Mencarelli F, Tonutti P (eds) Proceedings of the Fifth International Postharvest Symposium, 6–11 June 2004, Acta Horticulturae 682. International Society for Horticultural Science, Belgium, vol 2, pp 1219–1225

  2. Watada AE, Ko NP, Minott DA (1996) Postharv Biol Technol 9:115–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Varoquaux P (1991) Rev Gén Froid 81:33

    Google Scholar 

  4. Beaulieu JC, Ingram DA, Lea JM, Bett-Garber KL (2004) J Food Sci 69:250–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bai JH, Saftner RA, Watada AE, Lee YS (2001) J Food Sci 66:1207–1211

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bai J, Saftner RA, Watada AE (2003) Postharv Biol Technol 28:349–359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Aguayo E, Allende A, Artés F (2003) Eur Food Res Technol 216:494–499

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Soliva-Fortuny RC, Oms-Oliu G, Martín-Belloso O (2002) J Food Sci 67:1958–1963

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Soliva-Fortuny RC, Alós-Saiz N, Espachs-Barroso A, Martín-Belloso O (2004) J Food Sci 69:244–248

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lurie S (2003) Antioxidants. In: Hodges DM (ed) Postharvest oxidative stress in horticultural crops. Food Products Press, New York, pp 131–150

    Google Scholar 

  11. Luna-Guzmán I, Cantwell M, Barreto D (1999) Postharv Biol Technol 17:201–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Luna-Guzmán I, Barrett DM (2000) Postharv Biol Technol 19:61–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Poovaiah BW (1986) Food Technol 40:86–89

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. ISO (1991) Methods for microbiological examination of food and animal feeding stuffs. ISO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  15. ISO (1988) General guidance for enumeration of yeasts and moulds. ISO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  16. Lanciotti R, Corbo MR, Gardini F, Sinigaglia M, Guerzoni ME (1999) J Agric Food Chem 47:4769–4776

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Villanueva MJ, Tenorio MD, Esteban MA, Mendoza MC (2004) Food Chem 87:179–185

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Aguayo E, Escalona VH, Artés F (2004) J Food Sci 69:148–155

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lamikanra O, Watson MA (2004) J Food Sci 69:468–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Hadfield KA, Rose JKC, Bennett AB (1995) J Exp Bot 46:1923–1925

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Valdenegro M, Ramírez M, Flores FB, Romojaro F (2004) Influencia de 1-MCP y etileno sobre los daños por frío en melón español durante el almacenamiento. In: Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária (ed) Maturação e Pós-colheita 2004—Frutos e Hortícolas, 6–9 Octubro 2004. Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária, Oeiras, Portugal, pp 519–521

  22. Lester GE (2003) Oxidative stress affecting fruit senescence. In: Hodges DM (ed) Postharvest oxidative stress in horticultural crops. Food Products Press, New York, USA, pp 113–129

    Google Scholar 

  23. Lakakul R, Beaudry R, Hernandez RJ (1999) J Food Sci 64:105–110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. O’Connor-Shaw RE, Roberts R, Ford AL, Nottingham SM (1994) J Food Sci 59:1202–1206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Soliva-Fortuny RC, Grigelmo-Miguel N, Hernando I, Lluch MA, Martín-Belloso O (2002) J Sci Food Agric 82:1682–1688

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Soliva-Fortuny RC, Lluch MA, Quiles A, Grigelmo-Miguel N, Martín-Belloso O (2003) J Food Sci 68:312–317

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Soliva-Fortuny RC, Martín-Belloso O (2003) Eur Food Res Technol 217:4–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Zwietering MH, Jongenburger I, Rombouts FM, Riet K van’t (1990) Appl Environ Microbiol 56:1875–1881

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Martín-Belloso O, Soliva-Fortuny R, Oms-Oliu G (2006) Fresh-cut fruits. In: Hui YH (ed) Handbook of fruits and fruit processing. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, Iowa, USA, pp 129–144

    Google Scholar 

  30. Nguyen-The C, Cartin F (1994) Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 34:371–401

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Spain) through the AGL 2003-09208-C01 project and the Departament d’Universitats Recerca i Societat de la Informació of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Spain), which also awarded author G. Oms-Oliu a pre-doctoral grant.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Technology, UTPV-CeRTA, University of Lleida, Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain

    Gemma Oms-Oliu, Robert Soliva-Fortuny & Olga Martín-Belloso

Authors
  1. Gemma Oms-Oliu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert Soliva-Fortuny
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Olga Martín-Belloso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Olga Martín-Belloso.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Oms-Oliu, G., Soliva-Fortuny, R. & Martín-Belloso, O. Effect of ripeness on the shelf-life of fresh-cut melon preserved by modified atmosphere packaging. Eur Food Res Technol 225, 301–311 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-006-0415-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-006-0415-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation