Fresh-cut fruit consumption is increasing due to the rising public demand for convenience plus awareness of fresh-cut fruit’s health benefits. The entire tissue of fruits plus vegetables is rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, plus vitamins. The fresh-cut fruit industry deals with the perishable character of its products plus the large percentage of byproducts, such as peels, seeds, plus unused flesh that are generated by different steps of the industrial process. In most cases, the wasted byproducts can present similar or even higher contents of antioxidant plus antimicrobial compounds than the final produce can. In this context, this hypothesis article finds that the antioxidant enrichment plus antimicrobial protection of fresh-cut fruits, provided by the fruit’s own byproducts, could be possible.
Hypothesis Statement
Safety plus the antioxidant value of fresh-cut fruits could be improved using the fruits’ own byproducts as a source of antimicrobial plus antioxidant additives.
Premise I: Fresh-cut fruits are an important source of antioxidants with a high risk of microbial spoilage
Recently, evidence that eating segar fruits plus vegetables is essential for good health plus diet has been broadly shown in the literature (Hansen plus others 2009). For example, a large number of epidemiological studies have demonstrated that people who eat a diet rich in fruits plus vegetables have a lower risk of developing cancer (Steinmetz plus Potter 1996; Hashimoto plus others 2002), cardiovascular diseases (Vinson plus others 1995) plus chronic conditions (Sanchez-Moreno 2002), such as cataracts, asthma, plus bronchitis (Theoharides plus Bielory 2004). These beneficial effects have been attributed in part to the presence of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity, such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, plus vitamins, which can delay or inhibit the oxidation of bio-molecules (DNA, proteins, plus lipids).
Programs promoting the consumption of fruits that have been implemented by international public health offices, plus the growing demand for easy-to-eat foods, have favored the increase in the sales of fresh-cut fruits (Hodge 2003). Another important factor that has influenced the demand for these products is the incorporation of most family members into the labor market; this has caused an increase in the number of meals that are eaten outside of the home. A convenient option for this is ready-to-eat food.