Table 3.
Changes in microorganisms, pH, total soluble solids (TSSs), weight loss ratio, and hardness of fresh-cut bell peppers during storage at 4 °C.
| Treatment | Storage Time (Days) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 25 | ||
| TAB (log10 CFU/g) | Untreated | 4.18 ± 0.36Ca | 5.21 ± 0.11b | 6.91 ± 0.37c | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HPP-400 | 2.69 ± 0.07Ba | 4.05 ± 0.17c | 2.84 ± 0.50a | 2.79 ± 0.13a | 3.64 ± 0.18b | 3.85 ± 0.35b | 3.92 ± 0.11b | |
| HPP-500 | 2.15 ± 0.07Aa | 2.35 ± 0.12a | 3.80 ± 0.28b | 1.69 ± 0.21c | 2.73 ± 0.15c | 3.61 ± 0.20b | 3.83 ± 0.13b | |
| Y&M (log10 CFU/g) | Untreated | 2.33 ± 0.14a | 2.52 ± 0.13a | 3.18 ± 0.22b | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HPP-400 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | |
| HPP-500 | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | |
| pH | Untreated | 5.09 ± 0.01Ba | 5.08 ± 0.03b | 5.05 ± 0.03b | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HPP-400 | 4.97 ± 0.02Aa | 4.99 ± 0.01a | 4.99 ± 0.03a | 5.04 ± 0.27b | 4.53 ± 0.33c | 4.18± 0.03d | 4.17± 0.04d | |
| HPP-500 | 4.99 ± 0.02Aa | 4.99 ± 0.01a | 4.98 ± 0.01a | 5.00 ± 0.01a | 5.03 ± 0.02b | 4.99 ± 0.02a | 4.45 ± 0.02c | |
| TSS (oBrix) | Untreated | 6.80 ± 0.17Aa | 6.50 ± 0.17a | 6.60 ± 0.10a | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HPP-400 | 7.27 ± 0.12ABab | 7.83 ± 0.12c | 7.70± 0.10bc | 7.73± 0.15bc | 7.80 ± 0.26c | 7.77 ± 0.25c | 7.00 ± 0.17a | |
| HPP-500 | 7.33 ± 0.12Babc | 7.83 ± 0.21c | 7.47± 0.12abc | 7.73± 0.31bc | 7.27 ± 0.15ab | 7.60 ± 0.20bc | 7.07 ± 0.12a | |
| Weight loss ratio (%) | Untreated | 0 | 1.1 | 4.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HPP-400 | 21.9 | 22.7 | 22.8 | 25.7 | 25.9 | 26.3 | 27.2 | |
| HPP-500 | 18.7 | 23.1 | 23.5 | 24.4 | 24.2 | 24.4 | 24.5 | |
| Hardness (N) | Untreated | 28.92 ± 1.22Ba | 28.05 ± 1.28ab | 21.31± 1.17b | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HPP-400 | 13.44 ± 1.45ABa | 10.59 ± 0.80bc | 11.09 ± 0.37bc | 11.76 ± 0.22bc | 10.88 ± 0.57bc | 10.51 ± 0.33bc | 9.65 ± 0.26c | |
| HPP-500 | 11.54 ± 0.93Aa | 10.99 ± 0.45a | 10.58 ± 0.78a | 11.11 ± 0.28a | 9.79 ± 0.24a | 10.18 ± 0.29a | 10.72 ± 1.95a | |
---, not tested; ND, not detected (detection limit <10 CFU/g); TAB, total aerobic bacteria; Y&M, yeasts and molds. All data were the mean ± S.D., n = 3. Values with different letters within one row are significantly different (p < 0.05). The capital letters within one column are significantly different at day 0 (p < 0.05).