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Article: Cold temperature key to bagged salad quality.
- Article from:
- Emerging Food R&D Report
- Article date:
- September 1, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Food Technology Intelligence, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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We love the convenience of purchasing fresh, bagged salads. Today, sales of fresh-cut lettuce and leafy greens total about $3 billion annually, and the demand is increasing. But the increased demand also comes with new challenges, affirmed by outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7-related illnesses traced to bagged fresh produce. Cutting fresh produce when it is harvested removes natural protective barriers, exposing cut surfaces to potential contaminants.
Plant operators generally use cleaning treatments to wash surfaces and reduce cross-contamination from environmental pathogens that may be introduced before the produce is processed. At the USDA-ARS Produce Quality and ...