Effects of the combination of phytic acid and vacuum packaging on storage quality of fresh-cut lettuce

• Published in: FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 45 - 52
• Main Authors: Liu, Huan, Zhao, Hanyu, Ye, Lulu, Fan, Duoduo, Wang, Zhenzhen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tsukuba Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology 2022; The Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Ascorbic acid; Browning; browning reaction; Combined treatment; fresh-cut lettuce; Lettuce; Malondialdehyde; Microorganisms; Packaging; Peroxidase; Phenols; Phytic acid; Polyphenol oxidase; storage quality; Sugar; Vacuum packaging; Vegetables; Weight loss
• ISSN: 1344-6606; 1881-3984
• DOI: 10.3136/fstr.FSTR-D-21-00172

Fresh-cut lettuce is one of the most popular vegetables for healthy consumption. However, fresh-cut lettuce would spoil rapidly due to tissue damage. In order to improve the quality and extend the storage period of fresh-cut lettuce, this experiment investigated the effect of phytic acid (PA), vacuum packaging (VP), and combined treatment. The results showed that the PA + VP group inhibited the microbial growth and browning reaction of fresh-cut lettuce remarkably, and reduced the frangibility and the weight loss. The malondialdehyde (MDA), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) levels were decreased in PA + VP group. The combination of PA and VP can significantly inhibit the decline of total sugars, phenols, and vitamin C contents. Collectively, this study concluded that the combination of PA and VP was more effective in maintaining fresh-cut lettuce than alone treatment.