Quality of fresh‐cut purple‐fleshed sweet potatoes after X‐ray irradiation treatment and refrigerated storage |
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Authors: | Manolya E Oner Marisa M Wall |
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Affiliation: | U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S, Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Centre, , Hilo, HI, 96720 USA |
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Abstract: | The effect of X‐ray irradiation on the quality of fresh‐cut, refrigerated purple‐fleshed sweet potato (PFSP) cubes was investigated. Packaged sweet potato cubes were treated with 0, 250, 500, 750 or 1000 Gy X‐ray irradiation and stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 14 days. After 14 days, total aerobic bacteria counts were 4.1 and 3.2 log10 CFU g?1, and mould–yeast counts were 3.3 and 3.0 log10 CFU g?1 in 750 and 1000 Gy treated samples, respectively. Doses up to 1000 Gy did not affect the firmness, moisture content and anthocyanin content of PFSP cubes throughout storage. PFSP cubes' flesh colour did not change during the first week of storage, but lightness (L*) increased after 14 days. Also, irradiation doses at 750 and 1000 Gy decreased saturation (C*) significantly, producing duller flesh colour than controls. Results indicate that X‐ray irradiation treatment at doses up to 1000 Gy can reduce microbial populations while maintaining the physical quality and anthocyanin content of PFSP cubes up to 14 days of storage. |
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Keywords: | Anthocyanins colour firmness irradiation shelf‐life sweet potato total aerobic bacteria |
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