Minimally Processed Fruits and Vegetables

An Aspen Food Engineering Series Book. This new reference work in the Food Engineering Series covers basic and new information and issues, and new and refined existing technologies in the preservation of fruits and vegetables with a minimum of processing. It begins with a section on detecting and controlling good and harmful microorganisms in fruits and vegetable tissues, then surveys a range of preservation technologies, talks about new technologies being developed in landmark multinational projects, and ends by covering the legal aspects of minimally processed produce in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia.

Overview Microbiological Aspects. Hurdle Technology in the Design of Minimally Processed Foods. Induced Tolerance of Microorganisms to Stress Factors. Microbial Ecology of Spoilage and Pathogenic Flora Associated to Fruits and Vegetables. Use of Sanitizers in Raw Fruit and Vegetable Processing. Tools for Safety Control: HACCP, Risk Assessment, Predictive Microbiology and Challenge Tests. PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND STRUCTURAL ASPECTS. Chemical and Physicochemical Interactions between Components and Their Influence on Food Stability. Color of Minimally Processed Fruits and Vegetables as Affected by Some Chemical and Biochemical Changes. Mathematical Modeling of Enzymatic Reactions As Related to Texture After Storage and Mild Preheat Treatments. The Role of Tissue Microstructure in the Textural Characteristics of Minimally Processed Fruits. PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGIES. Improved Drying Techniques and Microwave Food Processing. Vacuum Impregnation of Plant Tissues. High Hydrostatic Pressure and Minimal Processing. Processing Fruits and Vegetables by Pulsed Electric Field Technology. Natural Antimicrobials From Plants. Use of Biopreservation in Minimal Processing of Vegetables. Minimal Processing of Fresh Produce. DEVELOPMENTS OF MINIMAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES FOR FRUIT PRESERVATION IN THE FRAME OF TWO MULTINATIONAL PROJECTS. Minimally Processed Fruits Using Vacuum Impregnation, Natural Antimicrobial Addition and/or High Pressure Techniques. LEGAL ASPECTS OF MINIMALLY PROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Regulatory and Safety Aspects of Refrigerated Minimally Processed Fruits and Vegetables: A Review. List of Sources. Index