Manutenção da qualidade microbiológica de melancia minimamente processada

Abstract

Amongst the alterations that occour in fresh-cut products, the appearance of microorganisms from inadequate handling and contact with equipments, surfaces utensils is noticed as something that increases the risk of contamination for consumers. The objective of this work was to evaluate the sanitizers sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide and sodium dichloro isocyanurate. The watermelons were chosen. Washed and through the following treatments: control (with no sanitizer), sodium hypochlorite (25, 50 and 100 mg. L -1 , for ten minutes), and sodium dichloro isocyanurate (50, 100 and 200 mg. L -1 for 10 minutes). After sanitization, the fruits were slide lengthwise in four parts and spheres were removed by the use of a fruit scoop. The spheres were drained for the removal of excess liquid, packed and stored in cold room (5 ± 1°C and 90 ±5% of UR) for ten days. The analyses performed every other day were pH, tiratable acidity, soluble solids, coliform determination, search for Salmonella and counting of fungi and yeasts. The obtained results showed that there was no significant difference among the treatments for the pH, titratable acidity and soluble solids variables. The presence of coliforms at 45°C, Salmonella, fungi and yeasts were not detected during storage of the watermelon spheres in any treatment. The obtained results enabled to conclude that the adoption of good manufacture practices is good enough to assure the safety of fresh- cut watermelon.