Minimally processed ready-to-eat baby-leaf vegetables: Production, processing, storage, microbial safety, and nutritional potential

ABSTRACT

The market for minimally processed ready-to-eat (RTE) baby-leaf vegetables (BLVs) has been rapidly growing and offering to consumers convenient and appealing products, rich in health beneficial bioactive compounds. These vegetables are harvested at a very early stage of maturation and prepared with minimal processing methods such as cutting, washing, rinsing, and packaging with the modified atmosphere of O₂, CO₂, and relative humidity (RH). Maintenance of microbial safety, color, texture, aroma, and nutrients are the major problems associated with commercial production and marketing of BLVs. This review discusses the theoretical aspects and recent developments in the maintenance of nutritional quality and microbial safety during production, processing, sanitization, packaging, and storage of BLVs. The varietal improvements in BLVs for wider adaptability and disease resistance are also discussed. Additionally, future research challenges in these contexts are identified.

KEYWORDS:

• Bioactives
• modified atmosphere packaging
• produce quality
• produce safety

Funding

This article was supported by KU research professor program of Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Additional information

Funding

This article was supported by KU research professor program of Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.