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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) is a nutrient rich perennial plant of the Brassicaceae family
highly appreciated in the Mediterranean cuisine. It is eaten raw in salads, soups and other recipes and
used in folk medicine due to its medicinal and therapeutic properties (1-3). Due to its reduced shelflife,
the effects induced by different packaging systems on physical, chemical and functional quality
parameters were evaluated and compared in order to select the most efficient treatment for shelf-life
extension. Wild samples were gathered in Bragança region (Northeast of Portugal), rinsed in tap
water and a portion was immediately analyzed (control). The remaining fresh material was packed in
conventional (air- and vacuum-packaging) and non-conventional (N2- and Ar-enriched modified
atmospheres (MAP)) systems, and stored at 4 ºC for 7 days. After assessing the effect on individual
parameters, a Linear Discriminant Analysis provided an overview about the suitability of the tested
packaging system in maintaining the fresh-like properties of the control samples throughout the
storage time. The complete individualization of the four packaging systems was observed, being the
air-packaged samples those to present the most dissimilar profiles from the control, followed by the
N2-enriched MAP ones. In turn, Ar-enriched MAP was the best option to preserve the overall
quality. Nevertheless, some of the observed changes were advantageous for the samples’ functional
properties. Thus, this study highlighted Ar-enriched MAP as the best option to preserve fresh-cut
watercress during refrigerated storage. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the effects on
physiological and sensorial parameters.
Description
Keywords
Watercress Conventional packaging Non-conventional MAP Quality parameters Shelflife extension
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Pinela, José; Barreira, João C.M.; Barros, Lillian; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R. (2015). Improving fresh-cut watercress shelf-life: a study on the suitability of modified atmospheres and conventional packaging. EuroFoodChem XVIII International Conference 2015. Madrid