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Research on 1-MCP application in fresh-cut processing

The 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is the chemical compound used to slow down the ripening of fruit and vegetables and extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut products.
The potential impact of 1-MCP on fresh-cut fruit and vegetables has been reported only in the last years.

A paper written by Peter Toivonen (2008) reports what the scientific research has found about the 1-MCP application and its effect on fresh-cut products quality in the hopes that new research can help to fill the gaps in understanding.



In fresh-cut processing systems, 1-MCP is applied in three different ways:
  1. treatment on freshly harvested produce before longer-term storage after which the product is processed;
  2. treatment on whole product just before processing;
  3. treatment on fresh-cut product immediately after processing.
The response of fresh-cut product to 1-MCP treatment can be influenced by many factors, such as temperature of storage for fresh-cut product, condition of raw material, type of fruit and vegetable, cultivar, harvest maturity, duration of storage before cutting, and the 1-MCP application way. The effects of 1-MCP has been studied on climacteric fruits, such as apple, banana, kiwifruit, mango, papaya, and tomato, on nonclimacteric fruits, such as pineapple and strawberry, and on leafy vegetables.

There are many results in literature about the application of 1-MCP, but they are very variable in terms of its effects on shelf-life and quality decay of fresh-cut products. Some studies have shown that 1-MCP provides a benefit, others have shown no effect or a negative effect.

For this reason, currently, 1-MCP is used combined with other post-processing treatments, such as 1) dipping the fresh-cut products in solutions containing calcium (or ascorbate) and chlorine, the former to improve the fruit firmness and the latter to control microbial growth, 2) blending the 1-MCP with various simple carbohydrates and dehydrated yeasts, which are activated by the humidity generated by the fresh-cut product. This new technology combines 1-MCP with antimicrobial volatiles and high CO2 , it has been developed to control quality loss and microbial growth, but its commercial feasibility is being assessed.

Original study. Toivonen P.M.A., ‘Application of 1-Methylcyclopropene in Fresh-cut/Minimal Processing Systems’, HortScience, 2008, Issue No. 43(1), pagg.102-105. For more details: hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/43/1/102.full.pdf+html