Effect of antibrowning dips and controlled atmosphere storage on the physico-chemical, visual and nutritional quality of minimally processed "Rojo Brillante" persimmons

Abstract

The combined effect of antibrowning dips and controlled atmosphere storage on fresh-cut Rojo Brillante persimmon quality was investigated. Persimmon slices were dipped in 10gL(-1) ascorbic acid, 10gL(-1) citric acid or water and were stored in different controlled atmospheres at 5?. Controlled atmosphere conditions were 21kPa O-2+10kPa CO2 (Atm-B), 21kPa O-2+20kPa CO2 (Atm-C), 5kPa O-2+10kPa CO2 (Atm-D) and 5kPa O-2 in the absence of CO2 (Atm-E). Air (Atm-A) was used as a control. Atmospheres with high CO2 concentrations induced darkening, associated with a flesh disorder known as internal flesh browning. Only the samples placed in Atm-E, and treated with 10gL(-1) ascorbic acid or 10gL(-1) citric acid, controlled enzymatic browning, reduced firmness loss and prevented the internal flesh browning disorder. The maximum limit of marketability was achieved in the samples treated with 10gL(-1) citric acid and stored in Atm-E for nine storage days at 5?. The total vitamin C, free radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content and total carotenoids of the fresh-cut Rojo Brillante persimmons were affected by maturity stage at harvest, whereas antibrowning dips and controlled atmosphere storage had no clear effect.