Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables

<p>Because they meet the needs of today’s consumers fresh-cut plant products are currently one of the hottest commodities in the food market of industrialized countries. However fresh-cut produce deteriorates faster than the correspondent intact produce. The main purpose of <b>Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables: Technology Physiology and Safety </b>is to provide helpful guidelines to the industry for minimizing deterioration keeping the overall quality and lengthening the shelf life. It provides an integrated and interdisciplinary approach for accomplishing the challenges where raw materials handling minimal processing packaging commercial distribution and retail sale must be well managed. It covers technology physiology quality and safety of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. </p><p>In this book the chapters follow a logical sequence analyzing most of the important factors affecting the main characteristics of fresh-cut horticultural products. The most relevant technologies to prevent deterioration and improve final overall quality of fresh-cut commodities are described in detail. This book covers the basics of the subject from quality preservation nutritional losses physiology and safety to industry-oriented advancements in sanitization coatings and packaging. It examines such novel preservation technologies as edible coatings antimicrobial coatings natural antimicrobials gum arabic coatings and pulsed light treatments. Minimal processing design and industrial equipment are also reviewed. With its international team of contributors this book will be an essential reference work both for professionals involved in the postharvest handling of fresh-cut and minimally processed fruits and vegetables and for academic and researchers working in the area.</p>