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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #110899
Title: MAINTAINING QUALITY OF FRESH-CUT TOMATO SLICES THROUGH MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING AND LOW TEMPERATURE STORAGE.

Author
item HONG, JI - USDA/ARS, BA, PSI/HCQL
item Gross, Kenneth

Submitted to: Journal of Food Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/5/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: There is a great demand for fresh-cut tomato fruit slices by fast-food restaurants, dining halls, food service institutions and cafeterias. However, many technical problems exist in maintaining quality and microbial safety during storage of tomato slices because tomato tissue cannot be effectively stored at cold temporatures. Storage of ripe tomato slices at tthe recommended temperature of below 5 degrees centigrade (about 40 degree Fahrenheit), results in formation of translucent, water-soaked areas and an increase in susceptibility to fungal growth on slices. Shelf-life was extended by appropriate selection of gas permeability of the plastic film used to seal containers and initial atmospheric composition (carbon dioxide and oxygen). Also, we observed that a low ethylen (ripening hormone) concentration in containers created an environment favorable for development of cold temperature injury while high concentrations did not. Thus, unlike whole fruit, tomato slice postharvest storage systems should not remove or strive to lower ethylene during storage. Modified atmosphere packaging provided good quality tomato slices with an acceptable shelf-life of approximately 2 weeks at 5 degrees centigrade. The results will provide guidance for storage of fresh-cut tomato fruit slices from which wholesalers, retailers and consumers of fresh-cut tomato slices will benefit.

Technical Abstract: Experiments were conducted to compare the quality of fresh-cut slices from red tomato fruit during cold storage under various modified atmosphere packaging conditions. Chilling injury of slices in containers sealed with Film A (oxygen transmission rate of 87.4 ml per hour per square meter at 5 degrees centigrade and 99 percent relative humidity) was higher than that of slices in containers sealed with Film B (oxygen transmission rate of 60.0 ml per hour per square meter at 5 degrees centigrade and 99 percent relative humidity). While slices in containers with an initial atmospheric composition of 1) air; 2) 4 percent carbon dioxide + 1 or 20 percent oxygen; 3) 8 percent carbon dioxide + 1 or 20 percent oxygen or 4) 12 percent carbon dioxide + 20 percent oxygen showed visible signs of fungal growth, slices in containers with an initial atmospheric composition of 12 percent carbon dioxide + 1 percent oxygen did not. Shelf-life was extended by appropriate selection of plastic film, the quantity of slices in containers, and the initial atmospheric composition. Also, a low ethylene concentration in containers created an environment favorable for development of chilling injury symptoms. Thus, unlike whole fruit storage, tomato slice postharvest storage systems should not scrub ethylene. Modified atmosphere packaging can provide good quality tomato slices with an acceptable shelf-life of approximately 2 weeks or more at 5 degrees centigrade.