Effect of atmospheres combining high oxygen and carbon dioxide levels on microbial spoilage and sensory quality of fresh-cut pineapple

Abstract Fresh-cut fruit such as pineapple have a very limited shelf-life. The study aims at prolonging the shelf-life of fresh-cut pineapple by means of modified atmospheres (MAs). The effect of MAs combining high O 2 (21–70%) and CO 2 (21–50%) levels on microbial spoilage and sensory quality of fresh-cut pineapple was therefore evaluated. In the first part of the study, the behaviour of two spoilage yeasts ( Candida sake and Candida argentea ) and one lactic acid bacterium ( Leuconostoc citreum ), which had previously been isolated from spoiled commercial fresh-cut pineapple cubes, were monitored on pineapple agar separately. In the second part of the study, the shelf-life of commercial fresh-cut pineapple cubes packaged in selected MAs was evaluated at 7 °C. The results showed that MAs combining high O 2 and high CO 2 levels had a large inhibitory effect on the growth and volatile metabolite production of C. sake and C. argentea on pineapple agar. A MA with 50% O 2 and 50% CO 2 was in both cases the most inhibitive. Although MAs induced the production of ethyl acetate by the yeasts, the quantity of ethyl acetate was much lower in high O 2 and high CO 2 than that in air due to lower yeast population density in MAs. With regards to growth, L. citreum was not sensitive to high O 2 and CO 2 levels. The fresh-cut pineapple packaged in air had deteriorated and were not acceptable any more by day 7, while those packaged in 50% O 2 combined with 50% CO 2 , which also retarded the growth of aerobes and yeasts on pineapple cubes during storage, were still acceptable. It can be concluded that a MA with 50% O 2 and 50% CO 2 shows the best potential for extension of the shelf-life of fresh-cut pineapple.