New antioxidant treatment with yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) infusion for fresh-cut apples: Modeling, optimization, and acceptability

Abstract

Enzymatic browning affects the sensory and nutritional quality of fresh-cut apples and limits their shelf-life. Yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis), a plant widely consumed in South America as an infusion, could potentially be used in minimally processed fruits and vegetables as a natural additive to prevent browning, due to its high content of phenolic compounds with antioxidant capacity. The effects of the concentrations of ascorbic acid, citric acid, and yerba mate in an aqueous dipping solution on the instrumental color parameters, antioxidant capacity, and sensory quality of "Granny Smith" fresh-cut apples were modeled and the solution was optimized to obtain treated apples with maximum antioxidant capacity and minimum browning, without affecting the natural flavor of the fruits. The optimal composition obtained (1.2% yerba mate + 0.9% citric acid + 1.0% ascorbic acid) increased the antioxidant capacity of the apples by 36%. The sensory acceptability test carried out on the "Granny Smith" fresh-cut apples treated with the optimal dipping solution showed that more than 78% of the surveyed consumers liked the color, flavor, and texture of the apples.

Improving fresh‐cut apple quality and healthy potential‐related attributes through mild vacuum impregnation process

“…Fresh-cut apples develop enzymatic browning rapidly when a post- , 17.36 ± 1.36 and 18.66 ± 1.70 for C * ab0 and 95.91 ± 1.36 and 95.32 ± 0.92 for h ab0 , respectively, similar to those reported in the bibliography (Piagentini & Pirovani, 2017;Rodríguez-Arzuaga & Piagentini, 2018).…”

“…at 4°C for 20 min (Rodríguez-Arzuaga & Piagentini, 2018). The extract was used to determine total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity.…”

Efecto de la radiación UV-C sobre la calidad y la flora fúngica contaminante natural de arándanos (Vaccinium corymbosum L., variedad O’Neal)

“…Se cuantificó por la disminución de la absorbancia de una solución metanólica de DPPH* (30 mg/L) a 517 nm en presencia del extracto, después de 120 min de reacción. Se expresó como capacidad antioxidante equivalente al ácido ascórbico (AEAC), de acuerdo con Rodríguez-Arzuaga y Piagentini (2018). Ecuación 3: Donde IC50 de AA e IC50 (muestra) son la cantidad de AA (Ácido Ascórbico) o peso fresco de la muestra, respectivamente, en 1 ml de reacción, necesaria para reducir al 50% la concentración inicial de DPPH*, obtenida de la gráfica de DPPH* remanente (%) vs concentración (mg mL -1 ).…”

Spraying treatment of fresh-cut apples as a sustainable alternative to dipping for browning inhibition: a preliminary lab-scale study

“…Dipping in an antioxidant solution is the most commonly used method to prevent browning in fresh-cut fruit [29] and the best one for fresh-cut fruits and vegetables [36]. The disadvantages of this method include the risk of cross-contamination and microbial growth [32][37] [38] [39] as well as the dilution of the solution in the dip tank with multiple and frequent exposures [38] that results in the need to regularly replace or adjust the solution, with serious consequences on the costs of raw materials and disposal [39].…”

“…While most of research is focused on dipping fresh-cut apples in antioxidant solutions [29] [46], little is reported concerning spraying. A study compared the effects of these two treatments on carrots, using chitosanbased coatings [47], another work showed the application of starch-, carrageenan-and chitosan-based coatings through spraying on strawberries [48], and, concerning apples, only one study was found about the comparison of dipping and spraying treatments [32], and, in this case, as for another research from the same author focused on dipping [47], a commercial product (Nature-Seal®) was used as antioxidant.…”