UV-A light treatment for controlling enzymatic browning of fresh-cut fruits

摘要

Enzymatic browning is critical in the preservation of the quality and the shelf-life of fresh-cut fruits. Non-thermal technologies such as UV radiation are emerging for controlling polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, the main agent responsible for browning. After determining the best operational conditions of a UV LED illuminator (2.43 . 10(-3) Wm(-2) irradiance), the anti-browning effect of UV-A light (390 nm) treatment at 25 degrees C over increasing time periods up to 60 min was assessed on fresh-cut apples and pears. Color variation (Delta E) and its percent reduction (%R Delta E) were measured using a colorimeter and the greatest effect was observed in apples which showed higher %R Delta E values than pears (58% vs 25% after 60 min exposure, respectively). Anti-browning was found to be related to irradiance, exposure time and the fruit cultivar. Overall this study confirmed UV-A LED technology as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional approaches for reducing browning of minimally processed products.