Search Results (41)

Fresh-cut potato slices are prone to browning. Although freezing is an effective method of preserving food, freezing and thawing cause inevitable damage to potato tissues. This study explored the freeze-protective effects of trehalose and sorbitol under atmospheric pressure impregnation and vacuum impregnation by analyzing their influences on the cell structural and textural characteristics of frozen–thawed potato slices. The results showed that both trehalose and sorbitol can significantly improve the quality of frozen–thawed potato slices. Vacuum impregnation resulted in a higher total sugar content in the impregnated potato slices than atmospheric pressure impregnation (p < 0.05). Sorbitol impregnation significantly reduced cell damage and nutrient loss of frozen–thawed potato slices; specifically, under vacuum impregnation conditions, the juice loss rate and relative electrical conductivity decreased to 7.58 ± 0.47% and 32.90 ± 1.83 mS/cm, respectively. Texture analysis showed that sorbitol impregnation resulted in significantly higher puncture hardness and TPA hardness in frozen–thawed potato slices than trehalose impregnation. Furthermore, observations of cell activity and transmission electron microscopy of potato tissues verified sorbitol’s advantages in maintaining cell structure integrity and reducing ice crystal damage. Hence, sorbitol vacuum impregnation is highly recommended as a pretreatment in potato quick freezing processes. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the improvement of the quality of quick-frozen potato products, and for the later processing and manufacturing of frozen potato slices. Full article

Fresh-cut potatoes are highly perishable, requiring effective preservation strategies to maintain quality and extend shelf life. This study evaluated the use of edible coatings and the combination of osmotic dehydration and ohmic heating (OH-OD), both integrated with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), to enhance microbial stability and reduce quality deterioration. Key quality parameters—including color stability, browning index, weight loss, microbial activity, and sensory attributes—were assessed. Results showed that coated samples (E-FP) had the lowest browning index (59.71) by day 8, compared to a value of 62.69 in control samples (C-FP). OH-OD-treated samples exhibited the least weight loss (6.73%) versus 17.75% in C-FP. Microbial analysis showed that E-FP samples maintained the lowest total viable count by day 8 (3.98 ± 0.02 log CFU/g), compared to OH-OD-FP (4.43 ± 0.13 log CFU/g) and C-FP (4.79 ± 0.06 log CFU/g), confirming the antimicrobial efficacy of the edible coating enriched with rosemary essential oil and ascorbic acid. Sensory evaluation further confirmed that coated samples retained superior sensory qualities, receiving the highest overall acceptance score of 8.86 ± 0.80, compared to values of 7.80 ± 0.98 for control samples (C-FP) and 2.80 ± 0.69 for OH-OD-FP samples, highlighting their enhanced consumer appeal. These findings highlight that combining advanced preservation techniques with MAP can significantly reduce moisture loss and microbial spoilage while maintaining freshness and sensory appeal. This integrated approach offers a promising solution for extending shelf life, reducing food waste, and supporting sustainability in response to consumer demand for minimally processed, high-quality fresh products. Full article

The effects of wound healing on crop stand and productivity were examined on the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars Alturas (Alt), Russet Burbank (RB), and Clearwater Russet (CW). Tuber yields increased linearly with an advancing wound healing period irrespective of the cultivar (R² = 0.91). In contrast to unhealed controls, RB and CW wound-healed for 8 days produced a 6% and 8% greater yield, respectively, while a shorter wound healing period of 2 days increased Alt yield by 7%. Increases in tuber yield, a consequence of enhanced specific tuber weight across wound healing periods, contributed towards increased relative crop value in Alt (13%), RB (22%), and CW (19%). In further lab evaluations, Alt exhibited increased desiccation resistance and was associated with an earlier induction (24 h post-wounding) of feruloyl transferase (FHT) compared to CW and RB. Since FHT facilitates suberin and wax development, delayed FHT induction likely promoted fresh-weight loss in CW and RB compared to Alt. Enzymatic evaluations to assess the production of reactive oxygen species to protect fresh-cut seed found that RB had the highest activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase. This study demonstrates the broad benefits of planting wound-healed seed while highlighting opportunities to improve best practices and genetic improvement for wound healing response. Full article

In this study, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of osmotically dehydrated, fresh-cut, pre-packaged potatoes compared to conventional untreated ones. The case study focused on a small processing line in Naxos Island, Greece, aiming to extend shelf-life by up to 5 days. The analysis covered the full value chain, from cultivation to household consumption, considering changes in energy and material use, transport volumes, waste generation, and cultivation demand. Three scenarios were assessed: (i) conventional untreated potatoes, (ii) dehydrated potatoes using market glycerol, and (iii) dehydrated potatoes using glycerol from vegetable oil treatment. Systems and life cycle inventories (LCI) were modelled in OpenLCA v2.4 software with the ecoinvent v3.11 database, applying the Environmental Footprint (EF) method, v3.1. The selected impact categories included the following: global warming potential, water use, freshwater ecotoxicity, freshwater and marine eutrophication, energy resource use, particulate matter formation, and acidification. Results showed that applying osmotic dehydration (OD) improved environmental performance in most, but not all, categories. When market glycerol was used, some burdens increased due to glycerol production. However, using glycerol from vegetable oil treatment resulted in reductions of 25.8% to 54.9% across all categories compared to the conventional scenario. Overall, OD with alternative glycerol proved to be the most environmentally beneficial approach. Full article

Sweet potatoes play an important role in the global food supply, as they are rich in bioactive components and have numerous health benefits. Their minimally processed, ready-to-eat form is increasingly popular among consumers; however, discoloration and microbiological problems threaten the safety of these products. The aim of this study is to investigate the shelf life of cleaned, cut, ready-to-eat, vacuum-packed, and refrigerated Bonita (white) and Covington (orange) varieties of sweet potatoes after soaking in apple and chokeberry pomace extracts and treatment with citric and ascorbic acids. A series of microbiological and analytical tests was conducted during the storage period. The microbiological tests included the enumeration of cells of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microbes, as well as lactobacilli, lactococci, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts, and moulds. The analytical tests encompassed the determination of the total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, water-soluble solid content, and pH value. The prevalent microbial groups detected in the examined sweet potato varieties were lactic acid bacteria, which were present in both fresh samples and following storage. This study established that low-temperature refrigeration (5 °C), vacuum packaging, and organic acid treatment can effectively control lactic acid bacteria, which are pivotal to spoilage. The combination of preservation steps is of particular significance for ready-to-cook sweet potatoes, as this approach effectively extends the shelf life of these products. Full article

Enzymatic browning poses a formidable obstacle to the commercial sustainability of fresh-cut potatoes. Although the synergistic effects of bio-inductive technologies with natural compounds in anti-browning strategies have been observed, their full potential remains underexplored. To fulfill the demand for synergistic approaches in real-world applications, this research elucidates the complementary effects of short-term high-oxygen (HO, 80%) treatment of whole tubers in conjunction with cod peptides (CP, 0.1%) applied to fresh-cut potato slices in mitigating browning. The results demonstrated that the combined treatment (HO + CP) showed superior anti-browning efficacy compared to single treatments (HO or CP) and the untreated group (control). Specifically, peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were suppressed by 55.7% and 35.1%, respectively, under the synergistic treatment compared with the control after 8 days of storage. Meanwhile, increases in the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), along with an approximately 117% increase in total phenolic content, were noted with synergistic treatment. Furthermore, the combined treatment reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation by 17.5% on day 8. This effect may be attributed to enhanced antioxidant capacity and the preservation of membrane integrity. In summary, this novel strategy provides a practical synergistic solution for the control of enzymatic browning in fresh-cut potatoes. Full article

The aim of this research was to study the effect of osmotic dehydration (OD) and/or pulsed electric field (PEF) on the quality of MAP-packed potatoes, both as raw materials and after deep frying. Fresh-cut potato strips (from Naxos island) were osmotically dehydrated using a solution of 20% glycerol, 5% sodium chloride, and 1% ascorbic acid (wt) at a 5:1 liquid-to-food ratio at 35 °C for 120 min. OD-treated and untreated samples were packaged at MAP (0.2% O₂ + 12% CO₂) and stored at 4, 8, and 12 °C. Color (Browning Index, BI), texture (hardness, F_max), sensory characteristics (including total sensory quality), and microbial stability (total aerobic and anaerobic counts, Pseudomonas, Entrobacteriaceae, and yeasts/molds) were monitored during storage. After package opening, samples were deep-fried at 180 °C for up to 8 min, and the oil content of fried samples was quantified. Sensory evaluation of raw and fried samples was conducted. Untreated fresh-cut potatoes were characterized by detrimental color degradation starting from the third day of storage at 4 °C and presented microbial growth (total viable counts: 6 log (CFU)/g) on the sixth day, whereas pre-treated potato samples retained their color and microbiological stability after 15 and 18 days of cold storage, respectively. OD pre-treatment reduced the oil uptake during frying (up to 30%). Full article

The increasing demand for fresh and convenient foods has led to the production of Minimally Processed Products (MPPs), which are suitable for culinary and industrial uses. However, cutting potatoes can trigger browning, negatively impacting their sensory and nutritional quality. This study aimed to evaluate different anti-browning methods on Colombian potato varieties (Diacol Capiro, Pastusa, Nevada, and Sabanera) as raw materials for the development of MPPs. The physicochemical properties evaluated included moisture, pH, acidity, enzymatic activity, total phenolic content, vitamin C, and browning index. The anti-browning treatments involved immersing the potatoes in citric acid, ascorbic acid, and garlic extract. Evaluations were carried out over a 15-day storage period in refrigerated conditions. The results indicated that the Sabanera variety had the highest browning index, followed by Nevada, while Diacol Capiro and Pastusa showed lower browning indices, even without the use of technological coadjuvants. Among the treatments, citric acid proved to be the most effective across all varieties, with Diacol Capiro exhibiting the least browning after 15 days. Garlic extract was the least effective against browning. The sensory analysis indicated that an acidic descriptor was noted for both treated (with citric acid) and untreated (control) Diacol Capiro potatoes at similar intensities, suggesting that citric acid did not negatively affect the sensory quality and/or was masked during cooking, enhancing overall quality. In conclusion, the Diacol Capiro variety treated with 1% citric acid is the most appropriate choice for use as a raw material for MPPs without compromising sensory quality. Full article

The increasing consumer demand for minimally processed and ready-to-cook food products has elevated the significance of fresh-cut potatoes, which offer health benefits, high sensory properties, and convenience. However, extending the shelf life of fresh-cut potatoes while preserving their organoleptic qualities remains a significant challenge. This review examines the effectiveness of emerging non-thermal technologies, such as osmotic dehydration (OD), high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric field (PEF), and ohmic heating (OH), in processing fresh-cut potatoes. Among these, HPP and PEF have shown particular promise in extending shelf life and preserving sensory attributes, while OD and OH present advantages in maintaining nutritional quality. However, challenges such as high energy consumption, equipment costs, and industrial scalability limit their broader application. The use of natural preservatives and edible coatings is also explored as a means to enhance product quality and address the demand for clean-label foods. Further research is needed to optimize these technologies for large-scale production, reduce energy usage, and explore combined approaches for improved shelf life extension. This comprehensive review provides a critical analysis of the operational parameters of these technologies and their impact on the quality and shelf life of fresh-cut potatoes, identifying current research gaps and proposing directions for future studies. Full article

The physico-chemical properties of potato tubers change with age, which can affect not only the quality of the tubers but also the quality and shelf-life of fresh-cut potatoes (FCP) produced from older tubers. One of the methods that has proven useful for extending the shelf-life of some foods is ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation. This study investigated whether UV-C irradiation can mitigate the negative effects of tuber age. FCP from tubers after storage (1 and 9 months), vacuum-packaged, were irradiated with UV-C (2.70 kJ m⁻²) and stored (6 °C/15 days). The total aerobic mesophilic bacteria count (TAMBC), total and soluble solids content, pH, firmness, color, chlorogenic acid, reducing sugars, sensory properties of raw FCP and subsequently boiled and fried FCP, and acrylamide content in fried FCP were monitored. UV-C irradiation of FCP does not affect all parameters equally for both tuber ages, but was generally effective in reducing TAMBC, and UV-C-treated samples reached a shelf-life of 15 days. UV-C irradiation improved the sensory properties of raw and thermally processed FCP at both ages. UV-C irradiation caused an increase in acrylamide content in fried FCP, regardless of. the tubers age, but all samples were safe in this respect. Full article

In this study, soy protein isolate (SPI) films incorporating quercetin-grafted dialdehyde starch (DAS-QR) and DAS/QR, respectively, were developed. The structural, physical, and functional properties of the composite films were determined. The results suggested that DAS-QR and DAS/QR formed hydrogen bonding with the SPI matrix, which improved the structural properties of the films. The light-blocking capacity, thermal stability, hydrophobicity, tensile strength, elongation at break, and antioxidant and antibacterial abilities of SPI films were improved by DAS-QR and DAS/QR. Notably, SPI films incorporated with DAS-QR exhibited better performance than those with DAS/QR in terms of antioxidant (SPI/DAS-QR: 79.8% of DPPH and 62.1% of ABTS scavenging activity; SPI/DAS/QR: 71.4% of DPPH and 56.0% of ABTS scavenging activity) and antibacterial abilities against S. aureus (inhibition rate: 92.7% for SPI/DAS-QR, 83.4% for SPI/DAS/QR). The composite coating film SPI/DAS-QR effectively maintained appearance quality, delayed the loss of weight and total soluble solids, postponed malondialdehyde accumulation, and decreased peroxidase activity and microbial contamination in fresh-cut potatoes. These good performances highlight SPI/DAS-QR as a promising active packaging material for fresh-cut product preservation. Full article

Fresh-cut potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are susceptible to browning and microbial contamination during storage. In this study, the effects of trans-2-hexenal (E2H), ascorbic acid (VC), dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC), and the combined treatment of E2H, VC, and DMDC on quality deterioration in fresh-cut potatoes were investigated. The response surface methodology (RSM) demonstrated that E2H, VC, and DMDC concentrations of 0.010%, 0.65%, and 240 mg/L, respectively, were the optimum conditions for fresh-cut potato preservation. Further analysis showed that the combined treatment of E2H, VC, and DMDC was the most effective method of reducing quality deterioration in potatoes compared to the control and individual treatments. Furthermore, the combined treatment of E2H, VC, and DMDC could decrease the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via improving antioxidant enzyme activities. Meanwhile, energy-metabolism-related enzyme activities and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity were enhanced, while γ-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABA-T) activity was reduced via the combined treatment of E2H, VC, and DMDC, which contributed to maintaining high energy levels and GABA content in potatoes. These findings suggested that the combined treatment of E2H, VC, and DMDC could protect membrane integrity through enhancing antioxidant capacity, energy levels, and GABA content to maintain quality in fresh-cut potatoes. Full article

The quality of fresh-cut produce, particularly sweet potatoes, is crucial for their value. Licorice extract is an optional additive in fresh-cut sweet potatoes. This study examined the impact of three licorice extracts (licorice acid, LA; licorice flavonoids, LF; and licorice polysaccharides, LP) on the quality of fresh-cut sweet potato slices (FCSPSs) for one week of storage. After one week of storage, the extracts showed varying effects on FCSPSs. LA and LF treatments reduced the area proportion of browning (APB), while LP treatments increased APB and decreased L* values. Antioxidant experiments revealed that LP treatments increased PPO and POD activity while reducing SOD activity. The concentrations of the three licorice extracts showed a strong negative correlation with SOD activity. In conclusion, LP harmed the appearance and antioxidant qualities of FCSPSs. LA and LF may be suitable additive components for FCSPSs, and 30 mg/mL LA and LF treatments were found to maintain the appearance and texture quality of FCSPSs during storage. Therefore, careful consideration should be given when using LP as a food additive for FCSPSs. Full article

From a quality standpoint, it is desirable to preserve the characteristics of fresh-cut potatoes at their peak. However, due to the mechanical tissue damage during the cutting process, potatoes are susceptible to enzymatic browning. This study pertains to the selection of the appropriate osmotic dehydration (OD), high pressure (HP), and pulsed electric fields (PEF) processing conditions leading to effective quality retention of potato cuts. PEF (0.5 kV/cm, 200 pulses) or HP (400 MPa, 1 min) treatments prior to OD (35 °C, 120 min) were found to promote the retention of the overall quality (texture and color) of the samples. The incorporation of anti-browning agents (ascorbic acid and papain) into the osmotic solution improved the color retention, especially when combined with PEF or HP due to increased solid uptake (during OD) as indicated by DEI index (2.30, 1.93, and 2.10 for OD treated 120 min, non-pre-treated, HP pre-treated, and PEF pre-treated samples, respectively). PEF and HP combined with OD and anti-browning agent enrichment are sought to improve the quality and microbial stability of fresh-cut potatoes during refrigerator storage. Untreated fresh-cut potatoes were characterized by color degradation from the 2nd day of storage at 4 °C, and presented microbial growth (total viable counts: 6 log (CFU)/g) at day 6, whereas pre-treated potato samples retained their color and microbiologically stability after 6 days of cold storage (total viable counts, <4 log(CFU)/g). Full article

During fresh-cut processing, potatoes lose their inherent protective cellular structure, leading to enzymatic browning that compromises sensory and edible quality. Tea polyphenols (TPs), natural preservatives with potent reducing properties, are hypothesized to impact this browning process. However, their influence and regulatory mechanism on the enzymatic browning of fresh-cut potatoes remain poorly understood. This study used the “Holland Seven” potato as the research material to explore the effects of a treatment with different TP concentrations (0.1 g L⁻¹, 0.2 g L⁻¹, and 0.3 g L⁻¹) on the browning phenomenon and quality of fresh-cut potatoes during storage. The results showed that appropriate concentrations of TP treatment had a good preservation effect on the appearance and edible quality of fresh-cut potatoes. Furthermore, exogenous TP treatment reduced the content of enzymatic browning substrates (caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid) by regulating phenylpropanoid metabolism. Meanwhile, TP treatment augmented the activities of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase), maintained higher levels of ascorbic acid (Vc), and reduced glutathione (GSH). Consequently, the TP treatment could inhibit enzymatic browning by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism and the Vc-GSH cycle in fresh-cut potatoes. Full article