It is possible to packaging small size clusters of table grape maintaining good quality parameters

Postharvest, poscosecha, postcosecha, ?packaging, quality attributes, phenolics, ORAC, antioxidant activity Minimally processed table grapes have traditionally being used as component of fruit salads; only recently the possibility to produce single portion packed in small containers has been taken into account. The aim of the research was to assess the shelf-life of small size table grape clusters of some of the most diffused varieties in Italy such as ?Vittoria?, ?Sugraone?, ?Italia?, ?Crimson Seedless?, ?Red Globe? and ?Black Pearl? packed in polyethylene containers. After packaging, containers were stored at 4?1?C and physicochemical and microbiological parameters were monitored after 0, 7 and 15 days of storage. The berry firmness remained satisfactory until the 15th day of storage, especially in seedless cultivars such as ?Sugraone? and ?Crimson seedless?. Variations of weight loss and color were almost absent in all cultivars. A significant increase of CO2 and decrease of O2 inside the packages were observed during the second week of storage. As known, CO2 increase plays an important role in preventing the development of mesophilic bacteria. During the cold storage period, most of the quality parameters remained stable in all the cultivars. Ascorbic acid and total phenolic compounds content decreased, showing significant differences after 7 days of storage. Antioxidant activity showed a decline as seen for ascorbic acid and total phenolic compounds content. The results indicated the possibility of packaging small size clusters of table grape maintaining good quality parameters for a rather long period of storage without determining excessive reduction of the antioxidant activity of the product. Authors, original title and sources:Shelf-life of Minimally Processed Table Grapes Packed in Snack-size ContainersE. Nicolosi1, F. Ferlito1, M. Amenta2, P. Rapisarda21Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agrarie e Alimentari, University of Catania, Via Valdisavoia, 5 ? 95123 Catania, Italy. enicolo@unict.it2Centro di Ricerca per l'Agrumicoltura e le Colture Mediterranee, Corso Savoia, 190 - 95024 Acireale, Italy. paolo.rapisarda@entecra.itII ISHS International Conference on Quality Management of Fresh Cut Produce: Convenience Food for a Tasteful Life17-21 July 2011, Turin - Italy The picture is by es.123.rf.com ?