New technologies to preserve quality of fresh-cut produce

Abstract

Food preservation is critical for keeping the global food supply safe and available for consumers. Food scientists study production and processing to develop new technologies that improve the quality and quantity of healthy food products. The main goal is to safely increase yields with effective quality control and to preserve the environment and fulfill consumer expectations. Both consumers and food producers require more research about fresh-cut produce. Producers demand inexpensive and effective technologies to safely preserve the quality of the products. In the same manner, consumers want quality low priced fresh-cut produce. Food scientists attempt to solve problems in freshcut processing and quality preservation. In the past two decades, rapid advances in scientific knowledge on fresh-cut produce preservation have been developed. The present paper reviews technologies such as ultraviolet irradiation (UV-C), edible coatings, active packaging and volatiles, noting the areas in which information is still lacking and commenting on future trends.