Dual Effectiveness of Opuntia ficus indica Extracts for Enzymatic Browning Inhibition and Microbial Inactivation on Fresh-cut Apples
2012
Seo, Y.H., Seoul Metropolitan Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment, Seoul, Republic of Korea
The dual effectiveness of Opuntia ficus indica extracts for browning inhibition and microbial inactivation on fresh-cut apples was investigated. Prepared apple slices were treated with 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/mL Opuntia ficus indica extracts, packaged in polyethylene bags, and stored for 10 days at 4, 21℃. Results indicate that Opuntia ficus indica extracts significantly (P less than 0.05) inhibited the browning reaction of fresh-cut apples. This treatment also reduced peroxidase activities. The populations of Staphylococcus aureus significantly decreased with increasing extract concentration (p less than 0.05). In particular, S. aureus was reduced to non-detectable levels after 2 days in 100 mg/mL treatment at 4℃ and 21℃. Opuntia ficus indica extracts therefore have antibacterial and antibrowning effects. The results suggest that Opuntia ficus indica extracts could be useful as a natural food preservative.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]