Fruit and Vegetable Processing
For
3rd Stage Food Safety Program
By
Prof. Dr. Ramadan Ahmed Habiba
Contents:
Minimal Processed Fruits and Vegetables.
Introduction: Fruits and vegetables (F&V) play an
increasingly important role in today’s diets. Numerous
epidemiological studies indicate that a diet rich in a
variety of F&V with regular consumption of adequate
amounts from these food groups could help prevent
major chronic diseases. The World Health Organization
recommends the consumption of at least 400 g of F&V
(five servings per day), which has originated the “5-a-
day” multidisciplinary campaigns around the world.
Consumption of fresh produce has increased largely
worldwide in recent years, and the fresh-cut sector of
the produce industry has become one of its fastest
growing segments. -
US FDA estimated a number of 280 fresh-cut plants in operation for
2010, and that approximately ten new firms will enter the fresh-cut
industry each year, in a three year period (Federal Register, 2010).
As the public has become more health conscious, consumption of both
fresh produce and fresh-cut products has increased and concomitantly,
F&V have also become increasingly identified as vehicles in foodborne
disease statistics. United Nation FAO and WHO (2008) concluded that
leafy green vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cabbages, chicory) and leafy
fresh herbs like cilantro, basil and parsley, present the greatest
concern in terms of microbiological hazards associated with fresh
produce, with berries, green onions, melons, sprouted seeds and
tomatoes being of second highest concern. Carrots, cucumbers,
almonds, baby corn, sesame seeds, onions and garlic, mango, paw paw,
celery and mamey have been implicated in cases or outbreaks of
foodborne illness, however the public health impact was considered to
be low.
In response to the increased consumption of F&V, and the
potential for foodborne illness associated with them, the FDA
recognized the need for guidance specific to the processing of
fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. As a result, a guidance
document entitled “Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety
Hazards of Fresh-cut Fruits and Vegetables,” (FDA 2008a)
This guideline provides the FDA’s recommendations to fresh-cut
produce processors about how to avoid contamination of their
product with pathogens. The guidance is in addition to the
current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) (Federal Register,
2010).
Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are defined as fruits and
vegetables that have been processed by peeling, slicing,
chopping, shredding, coring, trimming, or mashing, with or
without washing or other treatment, prior to being packaged for
consumption (FDA, 2008a).
Factors such as the high degree of handling and mixing of
the product, the release of cellular fluids during cutting or
mashing, the high moisture content of the product, the
absence of a step lethal to pathogens, and the potential for
temperature abuse in the processing, storage, transport,
and retail display, all enhance the potential for pathogens
to survive and grow in fresh-cut produce (FDA, 2008a).
Nevertheless, fresh-cut produce processing has the
capability to reduce the risk of contamination by placing
the preparation of fresh-cut produce in a controlled,
sanitary facility.
In the guidance, operators are recommended to
develop and implement Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) plan and Sanitation Standard
Operation Procedures (SSOPs), as well as recall and
traceback programs.
Fresh-cut produce processors are also asked to
consider the application of Hazards Analysis and
Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles or
comparable preventive control programs to the
processing of fruits and vegetables (FDA, 2008a).
Technological procedures of processing of fruit and
vegetables can be classified into few processing methods:
Traditional processing methods – drying, concentrating, heating
(cooking, baking, frying, cooling, use of additives – preservatives,
acidification, fermentation
Improved traditional methods of processing – the application of
increased temperatures (sterilization, pasteurization), the application
of low temperature (cooling, freezing), aseptic packaging, controlled
atmosphere -CA, freeze-drying, microfiltration and membrane
processes, packaging (MA and vacuum).
Procedures that are investigating – high voltage pulse techniques,
photodynamic inactivation, microwave processing – heating, high
pressure treatment, ionizing radiation, heating of electrical resistance
effect and induction
Minimal Processed Fruits and Vegetables
(MPFV)
Effect of minimal processing on spoilage bacteria:
The surface of the plant is intensely colonized by an
extraordinarily diverse bacterial population. It has been
reported that 106–107 cells/cm2 bacteria, belonging to more than
85 different species, inhabit the plant leaf surface
(Gnanamanickam and Immanuel, 2006).
However, it is generally believed that populations of
culturable aerobic microorganisms on leaves are
dominated by a few genera such as Pseudomonas spp.,
Erwinia spp., Bacillus spp., lactic acid bacteria, and
yeast.
Minimal processing can represent a source of
contamination due to the direct contact of the
vegetable tissue with contaminated product, water,
equipment, personnel, or ambient (Barth et al.,
2009). In a previous study, we found that within the
processing chain, shredding, rinsing, and
centrifugation of red lettuce ‘Lollo Rosso’ were
sources of spoilage bacteria increasing the load of
coliform, lactic acid bacteria, and psychrotrophic
bacteria (Allende et al., 2004).
One of the reasons why MPFV are more susceptible
than whole vegetables to chemical and microbiological
deterioration is because during cutting, cells are
wounded or destroyed and nutrients are released from
the plant tissue, which can be used by microorganisms.
Also, further respiration, transpiration and enzymatic
activity in the living tissues after harvesting and
minimal processing would contribute to high microbial
load.
Log CFU/g
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Psychrotrophic bacteria Coliforms Lactic acid bacteria
Figure 6.2 Psychrotrophic bacteria, coliforms, and lactic acid bacteria (log
CFU/g) on fresh processed Lollo Rosso lettuces at different steps of the
production
In most cases, MPFV are washed with or without sanitizers to
remove initial bacterial populations, with the generalized
view that this initial reduction results in improved quality and
extended shelf life (Zagory, 1999). Several studies evidenced
that the simple practice of washing removes a portion of
pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, decreasing their
initial levels. However, the topography of the vegetable
tissue, the ability of bacteria cells to attach in a relatively
short time period and their localization in protected binding
sites, makes it difficult to remove all cells ( Allende et al.,
2008a). Thus, the use of sanitizing agents in the washing tank
is essential to maintain clean wash water, but their efficacy in
reducing microbial populations of MPFV is quite reduced.
Therefore, more than one microbial hurdle is recommended.
Whole and fresh-cut hurdles include numerous and diverse
physical, chemical, and biological methods for reducing
the microbiological load of produce by inflicting microbial
stress on pathogenic and spoilage microflora such as
physical removal, chemical decontamination, and
antimicrobial agents in the wash water, normal or
modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), other technologies
like gamma irradiation, light pulses, ultraviolet light,
ultrasound, and so on, coupled with approaches such as
purchasing produce from certified growers and packers
and implementing plant sanitation programs and consistent
refrigeration management
Each method has pros and cons depending
on the initial contamination and the nature
and topography of produce surface, the
mitigation protocol, the nature of the
stress factors, and the order in which they
are applied, among others. All of them are
critical for the effectiveness of the
intervention method applied to eliminate
organisms in produce and fresh-cut
produce (Codex Alimentarius, 2003).
Washing and sanitizing treatments for the produce
industry to achieve decontamination:
Hurdle Processes;
Physical cleaning _ Scrub surfaces, Aeration washers
Temperature – Hydrocooling, Hot water inmersion, Hot rising and brushing, Heat
shock with vapor or air, Cold storage.
Chemical-based washing treatments with or without pH control - Chlorine
and its derived compounds (NaOCl, NaClO2 ClO2) -50 to 200 ppm and a contact time
of less than 5 min , Hydrogen peroxide, Electrolyzed water, Peroxyacetic acid
Organic acids, Natural preservatives, Biocontrol
Emerging preservation factors – Irradiation, Ultraviolet, Pulsed light,
Ultrasound, Cold plasma, High hydrostatic pressure
Modified atmosphere - Modified atmosphere packaging
