Evaluación de técnicas de preservación de hortalizas de IV gama: lechuga (Lactuca sativa L.), tomate cherry (Solanum lycopersicum) y zanahoria (Daucus carota)

Abstract

National market promotes the use of processing technologies that allow to conserve vegetables of IV spectrum for more time without losing the fresh features of a product. This work evaluated the combination of three different minimal processing technologies about physicochemical behavior, sensorial quality and microbiological, and colorimetric properties applied in lettuce, cherry tomato and carrot. Cutting techniques, chemical treatment and type of packaging in each vegetable were evaluated. The best treatments evaluated through sensorial analysis and physicochemical were the result of the application of ascorbic acid 250 ppm strips cutting of 8cm x 3cm approx. and vacuum packing technique in the case of the lettuce; wholes without pedicle, citric acid 500 ppm and vacuum packing technique for the cherry tomato and strips of 7cm x 1 cm approx. ascorbic acid 150 ppm and vacuum packing technique in the carrot. The analysis of color for the lettuce, tomato and carrot showed that the parameters of brightness, chromaticity and tonality were not altered by the process they remained optimum over time. On the other hand, the microbiologic analysis showed count of mold/yeast and mesophilic aerobics are within the limits imposed in the regulation. The useful lifetime established through weight loos was of 11 days in the lettuce, 19 days in the cherry tomato and 18 days in the carrot.