Preservation of fresh-cut 'Cavendish' banana coated with carrageenan and in controlled atmosphere
by Margarida Rocha, Ana Luisa Vaz, Maria Filomena De Jesus Raposo, Goncalo Nieto Almeida, Alcina Maria Miranda Bernardo De Morais
International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation (IJPTI), Vol. 2, No. 2, 2011

Abstract: The objective was to study the effect of two controlled atmosphere (CA) compositions – 3% O₂ and 6% CO₂, and 3%O₂ and 10% CO₂ – on total counts of microorganisms at 30°C and 7°C, count of yeasts and moulds, count of enterobacteriaceae, and count of lactic acid bacteria of carrageenan coated fresh-cut 'Cavendish' banana. Bananas were previously submitted (or not) to a chemical dip of 1% calcium chloride, 0.5% ascorbic acid and 0.75% L-cystein. After a nine-day storage at 6°C, samples that had been chemically treated and submitted to CA with 10% CO₂ presented total aerobic plated count (at 30°C and 7°C), and yeasts and moulds count lower than other samples. The chemical dip improved the antimicrobial capacity of the coating associated to the controlled atmosphere conditioning, especially with 10% CO₂. Fresh-cut banana coated with carrageenan and previously chemically treated (or not) was safe during the nine-day storage at 6°C, with microbial counts below the limits referred in the literature. It is important for food industry to know the best conditions for storage in order to produce safe products.

Online publication date: Wed, 18-Feb-2015

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