Abstract
There are few available compounds that can both control browning and enhance microbial safety of fresh-cut fruits. In the present study, the antibrowning ability of sodium acid sulfate (SAS) on "Granny Smith" apple slices was first investigated in terms of optimum concentration and treatment time. In a separate experiment, the apple slices were treated with water or 3% of SAS, calcium ascorbate, citric acid, or acidified calcium sulfate for 5 min. Total plate count, color, firmness, and tissue damage were assessed during a 21-d storage at 4 degrees C. Results showed that the efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration. A minimum 3% of SAS was needed to achieve 14 d of shelf life. Firmness was not significantly affected by SAS at 3% or lower concentrations. Antibrowning potential of SAS was similar for all treatment times ranging from 2 to 10 min. However, SAS caused some skin discoloration of apple slices. When cut surface of apple slices were stained with a fluorescein diacetate solution, tissue damage could be observed under a microscope even though visual damage was not evident. Among the antibrowning agents tested, SAS was the most effective in inhibiting browning and microbial growth for the first 14 d. Total plate count of samples treated with 3% SAS was significantly lower than those treated with calcium ascorbate, a commonly used antibrowning agent. Our results suggested that it is possible to use SAS to control browning while inhibiting the growth of microorganisms on the apple slices if the skin damage can be minimized. Practical Application: Fresh-cut apples have emerged as one of the popular products in restaurants, schools, and food service establishments as more consumers demand fresh, convenient, and nutritious foods. Processing of fresh-cut apples induces mechanical damage to the fruit and exposes apple tissue to air, resulting in the development of undesirable tissue browning. The fresh-cut industry currently uses antibrowning agents to prevent discoloration. However, the antibrowning solutions can become contaminated with human pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, and washing of apple slices with the contaminated solutions can result in the transfer of pathogens to the product. It would be ideal if an antibrowning compound prevented the proliferation of human pathogens in solutions and minimized the growth of pathogens during storage. The study was conducted to investigate antibrowning and antimicrobial properties of sodium acid sulfate (SAS) in comparison with other common antibrowning agents on Granny Smith apples. Results showed that among the antimicrobial agents we tested, SAS was the most effective in inhibiting browning and microbial growth for 14 d at 4 degrees C. However, SAS caused some skin discoloration of apple slices. Overall, SAS can potentially be used to inhibit tissue browning while reducing the microbial growth on apple slices. The information is useful for the fresh-cut produce industry to enhance microbial safety of fresh-cut apples while minimizing browning, thus increasing the consumption of the health benefiting fresh fruit.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration.
- Taxon
- apple
Malus domesticae0 - Treatment
- SASe0
- Outcome
- efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browninge0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results showed that the efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration”
Claim · model-written summary
A minimum of 3% SAS was needed to achieve 14 days of shelf life for apple slices.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- 3% of SASe1
- Outcome
- shelf lifee1
- Value
- 14 de1
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results showed that the efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration”
e1“A minimum 3% of SAS was needed to achieve 14 d of shelf life”
Claim · model-written summary
Firmness of apple slices was not significantly affected by SAS at 3% or lower concentrations.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- SAS at 3% or lower concentrationse2
- Outcome
- Firmnesse2
- Direction
- not significantly affectede2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results showed that the efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration”
e2“Firmness was not significantly affected by SAS at 3% or lower concentrations”
Claim · model-written summary
Antibrowning potential of SAS was similar for all treatment times from 2 to 10 min.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- treatment times ranging from 2 to 10 mine3
- Outcome
- Antibrowning potentiale3
- Direction
- similare3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results showed that the efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration”
e3“Antibrowning potential of SAS was similar for all treatment times ranging from 2 to 10 min”
Claim · model-written summary
SAS caused skin discoloration of apple slices.
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Verbatim
e4“SAS caused some skin discoloration of apple slices. When cut surface”
Claim · model-written summary
Tissue damage in apple slices was observable under a microscope even though visual damage was not evident.
Verbatim
e4“SAS caused some skin discoloration of apple slices. When cut surface”
e5“tissue damage could be observed under a microscope even though visual damage was not evident”
Claim · model-written summary
Among the antibrowning agents tested, SAS was the most effective in inhibiting browning and microbial growth for the first 14 days.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- SASe6
- Outcome
- inhibiting browning and microbial growthe6
- Direction
- most effectivee6
- Comparator
- antibrowning agents testede6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results showed that the efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration”
e6“Among the antibrowning agents tested, SAS was the most effective in inhibiting browning and microbial growth for the first 14 d”
Claim · model-written summary
Total plate count of apple slices treated with 3% SAS was significantly lower than with calcium ascorbate.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- 3% SASe7
- Outcome
- Total plate counte7
- Direction
- lowere7
- Comparator
- calcium ascorbatee7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results showed that the efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration”
e7“Total plate count of samples treated with 3% SAS was significantly lower than those treated with calcium ascorbate”
Claim · model-written summary
SAS can likely control browning while inhibiting microorganism growth on apple slices if skin damage is minimised.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- SASe7
- Outcome
- control browning while inhibiting the growth of microorganismse7
- Qualifier
- if the skin damage can be minimizede7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results showed that the efficacy of SAS in inhibiting browning of apple slices increased with increasing concentration”
e7“it is possible to use SAS to control browning while inhibiting the growth of microorganisms on the apple slices if the skin damage can be minimized”
The same questions in other papers
sodium atom · disease · Malus domestica (apple)Positive and negative results
4 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
- no effect
- positive
- positive
2 papers more in this group
See all 6 papers →sulfate · disease · Malus domestica (apple)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.