A U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service study found that exposing cantaloupe
to ultraviolet C lights during cutting increased shelf life. The study,
published in the Journal of Food Science in 2005, divided the fresh-cut
melon into three categories:
· melon exposed to the lights during cutting;
· melon exposed to the lights after cutting; and
· melon not exposed to the light
The cantaloupe exposed to the light during the cutting process stayed
fresher longer.
According to the study, the light exposure reduced certain microorganisms
and enzymes that can lead to spoilage. The lights also increased shelf
life by more than five days, said Roger Stamper, vice president of
Steril-Aire, Burbank, Calif.
The study focused on cantaloupe, a melon chosen because of its frequent
use as a fresh-cut item, said Olusola Lamikanra, a chemist for the
Agricultural Research Service and leader of the study.
“We use cantaloupe melon as a model,” said Lamikanra,
“and then we can investigate the possibility of other fruits.”
The UVC light triggers a stress response system in the melon, stopping
the melon from sending the signals that it has been cut, he said.
Along with stopping the signals, the lights kill certain microorganisms
on the cantaloupe and postpone decay, he said.
Light exposure is fairly new to the industry, and there aren’t
too many applications even using UVC for post-cut exposure, he said.
The implications for the study are obvious, Stamper said. Besides
extending the melon’s shelf life, UVC light exposure during
the cutting process will allow manufacturers to clean blades less
often, he said.
The lights destroy the DNA in certain microorganisms and prohibit
replication, he said.
“There is also less chance of passing along food contamination
from a previous cutting,” Stamper said.
Steril-Aire uses UVC lights in its patented UVC Emitters to improve
air quality, clean ducts and prevent the spread of disease.
The USDA study used a Steril-Aire product similar to the UVC light
used in its UVC Emitters, Stamper said.
RETURN TO OCTOBER VEGETABLE PRODUCTION AND MARKETING NEWS
