Evaluation of qualitative losses of beetroot in fresh-cut detriment and additives application aiming your reduction

Abstract

Beetroot is a nutritionally rich vegetable, with high antioxidants and functional properties, consumed as fresh or fresh-cut. The color of beetroot is due to the high content of its main functional compound, the betalaines, which are a water soluble pigments present in practically all its tissues. Minimally processed products (MPPs) are increasingly present in the daily lives of consumers, who look for these products because of their practicality and fast, safe and healthy form of fruits and vegetable consumption. The techniques used in MPPs intend smaller loss of key functional compounds and quality during the preparation and storage of the products. However, there are several alterations in response to damage suffered during their preparation, which triggers various reactions related to the stress physiology, so to recover from stress, the tissues seek increase their respiratory rate, active the secondary metabolism and spend more quickly their reserves. Strategies to reduce losses are widely studied, including use of different sanitizers and packaging; storage conditions, heat treatment and other. Antioxidant products are used for the maintenance of the quality characteristics of vegetables, inhibiting the activity of oxidative enzymes that initiate the deterioration processes. Thus, it becomes important to determine the main points of loss of betalaines and other functional compounds in beetroot, just as well to provide ways to avoid or mitigate the losses directly related to the processing and storage. Also, it is important to evaluate the action of additive products on the maintenance and stability of the principal qualitative and visual properties of the beetroot. The goal is a food secure, with maintain of the nutritional and bioactivity properties, what it's important to sustainability and the reduction of food waste. (AU)