1 Introduction
The International Fresh-Cut Produce Association (IFPA) defines fresh-cut fruit plus vegetable products (FFVP) as products which are peeled, cut into a 100% usable form, plus packaged to offer the consumers segar products having high flavor plus nutrition (Allende, Tomas-Barberan, & Gil, 2006; Olivas & Barbosa-Canovas, 2005). The significance of fresh-cut foods is determined by their quality attributes, i.e., freshness, retention of vital nutrients, convenience, plus sensory attributes, along with enhancement of shelf-life (Bhagwat, 2006; Ragaert, Verbeke, Devlieghere, & Debevere, 2004). FFVs are prepared in a way that they don’t require any additional preparation for their consumption plus hence the retention of nutritional values plus organoleptic characteristics is made possible to a maximum extent.
Artes-Hernandez et al. (Artes, Conesa, Hernandez, & Gil, 1999) referred to FFVP as food products that are prepared by operations such as peeling, shredding, cutting, trimming, plus sanitizing, which are then stored in refrigerated conditions, plus packed in semipermeable films. Ingredients plus nutrient content in FFV are similar to that of the whole product, along with a benefit of having low cost plus a brief period of preparation (Chien, Sheu, & Yang, 2007). The industry of fresh-cut fruits plus vegetable products is growing rapidly as compared to the other industries related to fruits plus vegetables; the reasons being the service, production, plus global market access. The United States is the main producer in this sector followed by the United Kingdom plus France (Ahvenainen, 1996). FFVPs sold presently in the global market include: leafy greens/Spanish (washed plus cut), lettuce (cleaned, chopped, shredded), celery (sticks), cabbage (shredded), broccoli plus cauliflower (florets), potatoes, carrots (baby, sticks, shredded), plus various other tubers plus roots (peeled plus sliced), onions (whole peeled, sliced, plus diced), garlic (fresh peeled plus sliced) cucumber (sliced, diced), mushrooms (sliced), plus sliced pepper plus tomato (Allende et al., 2006).
The shelf-life of fruit plus vegetable products are extended with the methods of food processing but the enhancement of fresh-cut product’s shelf-life is reduced, resulting in the produce being highly perishable (Ahvenainen, 1996). The biological change brought by the food processing methods may cause discoloration of cut-surface, flavor loss, rapid softening, decay, shrinkage, increased rate of vitamin loss, plus shorter shelf-life of the produce. The textural plus flavor changes during the processing might be the result of interaction between intracellular plus intercellular enzymes plus water activity (Corbo et al., 2009). Fresh-cut processing causes stress on the cell tissues of vegetables, which in turn results in the phytochemical accumulation in the tissues plus hence induces loss in the enzymes of secondary metabolic pathways due to their reduced activity. Moreover, fresh-cut fruit plus vegetable processing results in breakdown of cell structure along with the release of various types of intracellular products like oxidizing enzymes, thereby causing a rapid decay plus enzymatic browning of the product (Allende et al., 2006). Numerous factors, as reported by Gorny, Cifuentes, Hess-Pierce, plus Kader (2000) plus Solomos (1997), may alter the overall quality of fresh-cut products, like appearance (O’Beirne & Francis, 2003; Olivas & Barbosa-Canovas, 2005). Appearance, along with shape, size, color, plus form are factors that significantly affect the consumer acceptability of fresh-cut products. Preharvest factors also influence the overall acceptability of the product. Nutrients such as antioxidant vitamins, α-tocopherol (vitamin E), beta-carotene, plus vitamin C are available in fruits plus vegetables in large amounts. Research has suggested that fruit plus vegetable consumption on a daily basis can reduces risk of circulatory diseases, cancer, plus numerous inflammatory conditions (Allende, Selma, Lopez-Galvez, Villaescusa, & Gil, 2008; Gil, Selma, Lopez-Galvez, & Allende, 2009). Healthy lifestyle today includes consumption of fruit plus vegetables, with the promotion of health through the increased supply of antioxidants plus other phytochemicals.
It is notable that the handling of organic products advances a quicker physiological damage, biochemical changes, plus microbial invasion of the products that might cause degradation of the texture, color, plus flavor, even by application of the simplest processing operations (O’Beirne & Francis, 2003). Before packaging for utilization, fresh-cut fruits are exposed to a number of unit operations, such as washing/sanitizing, cutting or slicing, peeling, dicing, plus so on. During each langkah of processing, packaging, plus storage, there is always a possibility of quality plus nutritional loss of the product. A significant attention should be given to the mechanical operations that are considered extremely critical to cause shelf-life enhancement of the product, if implemented in a proper way. Mishandling plus improper steps in processing cause the rupture of numerous cells plus discharge of intracellular products. In the meantime, the surface of the product is subjected to air plus various microbes like yeasts, bacteria, plus molds. Moreover, cutting means increased injured tissues leading to increase in respiration rate, rapid disintegration, plus microbial multiplication.