Quality of Minimally Processed Fruits and Vegetables

Consumer demand for fresh fruits and vegetables coupled with a demand for convenience is fueling an interest in minimally processed products. Advances in packaging technology provide a potential for improved quality and extended shelf‐life of these products, but little is known about the physiological, microbiological and nutritional consequences of minimal processing. Mass marketing and brand‐label identification of these products will require a new perspective on shelf‐life and quality assurance. A systems approach has been proposed as a framework for quality management of fresh and minimally processed product based on the concept of providing the consumer with optimum quality at purchase and consumption.