EFFECT OF GENERIC PROMOTION OF FLOWERS ON THE USE OF RETAIL FLOWER OUTLETS

AIDs demand models are used to test if the generic promotion of fresh-cut flowers influenced the market shares for florists, supermarkets, and other retail outlets. Were the generic efforts outlet neutral? Generic promotions of fresh-cut flowers is shown to be outlet neutral while the brand advertising increased florists' market share.Fresh-cut flowers, generic promotion, AIDs model, Marketing,

Systematic Study of the Content of Phytochemicals in Fresh and Fresh-Cut Vegetables

Vegetables and fruits have beneficial properties for human health, because of the presence of phytochemicals, but their concentration can fluctuate throughout the year. A systematic study of the phytochemical content in tomato, eggplant, carrot, broccoli and grape (fresh and fresh-cut) has been performed at different seasons, using liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. It was observed that phenolic acids (the predominant group in carrot, eggplant and tomato) were found at higher concentrations in fresh carrot than in fresh-cut carrot. However, in the case of eggplant, they were detected at a higher content in fresh-cut than in fresh samples. Regarding tomato, the differences in the content of phenolic acids between fresh and fresh-cut were lower than in other matrices, except in winter sampling, where this family was detected at the highest concentration in fresh tomato. In grape, the flavonols content (predominant group) was higher in fresh grape than in fresh-cut during all samplings. The content of glucosinolates was lower in fresh-cut broccoli than in fresh samples in winter and spring sampling, although this trend changes in summer and autumn. In summary, phytochemical concentration did show significant differences during one-year monitoring, and the families of phytochemicals presented different behaviors depending on the matrix studied

Effect of carrot puree edible films on quality preservation of fresh-cut carrots

peer-reviewedFinancial support from the high level talent fund of Henan University of Technology Science and Technology (No. 2012BS024) is gratefully acknowledged.The effect of edible films based on carrot puree, chitosan, corn starch, gelatin, glycerol and cinnamaldehyde on fresh-cut carrots was studied during storage. Several parameters, such as firmness, colour, weight loss, total carotenoids, total phenols, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and peroxidase (POD) activity in coated carrots were determined at regular intervals and then compared with the uncoated carrots throughout the storage period. Significant and expected changes were observed in all carrot samples that were compared. The coating treatment significantly (P < 0.05) delayed the senescence, reduced the deterioration of exterior quality and retained total carotenoids well compared with control (P < 0.05). In addition, significant inhibition of PPO activity (P < 0.05) and POD activity (P < 0.05) as well as reduced accumulation of polyphenols (P < 0.05) were observed for all coated samples. All of these favourable responses induced by coating treatment on minimally processed fresh-cut carrots showed beneficial physiological effects, which would give some useful references to the fresh-cut fruit and vegetable processing industry and satisfy people’s requirements allowing for extending product shelf life without negatively affecting the sensory quality or acceptability.Henan University of Technology Science and Technolog

Consumer attitudes and preference exploration towards fresh-cut salads using best–worst scaling and latent class analysis

This research explored the preferences and buying habits of a sample of 620 consumers of fresh-cut, ready-to-eat salads. A best–worst scaling approach was used to measure the level of preference stated by individuals regarding 12 attributes for quality (intrinsic, extrinsic and credence) of fresh-cut salads. The experiment was carried out through direct interviews at several large-scale retail outlets in the Turin metropolitan area (north-west of Italy). Out of the total number of questioned consumers, 35% said they did not consume fresh-cut salads. On the contrary, the rest of the involved sample expressed the highest degree of preference towards the freshness/appearance attribute, followed by the expiration date and the brand. On the contrary, attributes such as price, organic certification and food safety did not emerge as discriminating factors in consumer choices. Additionally, five clusters of consumers were identified, whose preferences are related both to purchasing styles and socio-demographic variables. In conclusion, this research has highlighted the positive attitude of consumers towards quality products backed by a brand, providing ideas for companies to improve within this sector and implement strategies to answer the needs of a new segment of consumers, by determining market opportunities that aim to strengthen local brands

Impact of pulsed light treatments and storage time on the texture quality of fresh-cut tomatoes

The effect of pulsed light (PL) treatments at fluences of 4, 6 or 8 J·cm-2 on microbial growth, weight loss, pectinmethyl esterase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PG) activities of fresh-cut tomatoes was evaluated through 20 days of storage at 5 ºC. Additionally, a pair-wise comparison test was assayed to determine whether potential consumers could detect differences between untreated and PL-treated samples. Microbial counts of PL-treated tomato slices were up to 2 log CFU g lower than those on untreated samples over storage. Fresh-cut tomatoes exhibited slight firmness decrements, changes on the pectinolytic enzymes and increased weight losses over the storage. However, sensory evaluation did not reveal significant differences over at least 10 days. In summary, PL-treatments showed to be effective to reduce the microbial growth with a low impact on the physical quality of fresh-cut tomatoes.The Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) supported this work, through the project AGL 2010-21572. Carlos Guillermo Valdivia Nájar thanks to the University of Lleida (Spain) and Santander Banc, who awarded a Jade Plus grant for doctoral studies. The authors would like to acknowledge to Edelí Islas and Laia Vilarmau for their technical support. Prof. Olga Martín-Belloso is very thanksful to the Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) for the Academia 2008 Award

Consumer behavior in choice of minimally processed vegetables and implications for marketing strategies

The purpose of this work is to stimulate the debate on the economic aspects of minimally processed fresh-cut production, assessing the purchase intentions of consumers of fresh-cut products. In order to gain this purpose and compare with the literature, results of previous on-field research, that involved consumers of fresh-cut lamb's lettuce (Valerianella Locusta Laterr), are presented and discussed. This work deals with the information collected as marketing and economic analysis on food products object of the research project \u201cNovel strategies meeting the needs of the fresh-cut vegetable sector \u2013 STAYFRESH\u201d. Intentions to purchase fresh-cut lamb's lettuce from environmental sustainable farms, simulating a fresh-cut product with an Eco-label, are investigated. Several studies referred to the approach that sets out different types of motives that affect attitude and willingness to pay for minimally processed products. The managerial implications make it possible to assess how much the different types of motives influence the attitude and affect the choices and the behavior of the consumers. To complete, a cost analysis of the fresh cut lamb's lettuce product is proposed. These results are proposed waiting for the Eco-labeling Board (European Union Eco-labeling Board) decisions on the feasibility of an Eco-label for food products. \ua9 2015 Elsevier Lt

Suitability of borago officinalis for minimal processing as fresh-cut produce

Borage (Borago offcinalis L.) is a wild vegetable appreciated as a folk medicine and for culinary preparations. The introduction of borage as a specialized cultivation would allow for the diversification of vegetable crops and would widen the offerings of raw and minimally processed leafy vegetables. Thus, the aim of the research was to evaluate the quality and shelf-life of fresh-cut borage stored at different temperatures. Borage plants were grown during the autumn-winter season and immediately minimally processed after harvest. Fresh-cut borage leaves packed in sealed bags were stored at 2 or 6 °C for 21 d. Weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid, nitrates, leaf color characteristics and overall quality were determined through the storage period. Borage plants were deemed suitable for minimal processing. Storage temperature significantly influenced the rate of quality loss. Borage leaves had an initial nitrate content of 329.3 mg kg-1 FW that was not affected by temperature or storage. TSS and TA were higher in leaves stored at 6 °C. TSS, TA and ascorbic acid content increased during storage. Minimally processed borage leaves stored at 2 °C had lower weight loss and leaf color modifications during storage and a longer shelf life than those stored at 6 °C, so were still marketable after 21 d of storage

Pre-Harvest light intensity affects shelf-Life of fresh-cut lettuce

The industry of fresh-cut produce is continuously growing due to increasing demand for fresh, healthy and convenient foods. However, processing of vegetables accelerates quality deterioration due to structural, physiological and biochemical changes. Therefore, the value of the produce to the consumer is decreased by negative changes in appearance, texture, flavor and nutritional value. Cultivation practices, such as nitrogen application, light and temperature regimes and, the choice of varieties with a higher resistance to processing might greatly influence the postharvest characteristics of lettuce. In this study, the effect of light intensity during growth on shelf-life of fresh-cut lettuce was examined in different varieties. Plants were grown under controlled environmental conditions with day/night temperature 20°C/15°C, relative humidity of 70% and high (250 µmol m-2 s-1) or moderate (120 µmol m-2 s-1) photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) provided by white fluorescent tubes, with a 12h photoperiod. The shelf-life of plants grown under high light was two-fold that of the plants grown under moderate light. The level of leaf chlorophyll differed between light treatments and varieties. The variety with highest pre-harvest chlorophyll content had the shortest shelf life under both light conditions. The shelf life data are supported by chlorophyll fluorescence images indicating that the latter technique may be used as a quality evaluation tool

Processing strategies. QLIF subproject 5: Development of a framework for the design of minimum and low input processing strategies, that guarantee food quality and safety

Organic processing standards already prohibit the use of many chemicals, additives and preservatives, which are used in the processing of conventional foods. Yet, there are frequent discussions of the underlying principles on organic food processing regarding such aspects as environmentally friendly processing, minimal use of additives, sensory quality, and transportation. It is therefore essential to develop a framework or code of practice, which can be used to determine whether novel processing strategies are compatible with organic processing standards and principles as well as consumer demands and expectations in relation to quality characteristics of processed food. In the present subproject part of the research comprised an assessment of alternative sanitising protocols under controlled laboratory conditions in the processing of fresh cut lettuce and mixtures of fresh-cut-vegetables. During these studies it was found that, with regard to ecological aspects, ozone is a good alternative to the existing disinfectants, such as chlorine, in the organic field. Further research concerned an assessment of processing technologies that may improve the nutritional composition of dairy products, such as increased content of conjugated linolenic acids (CLA)

UV-A light treatment for controlling enzymatic browning of fresh-cut fruits

Enzymatic browning is critical in the preservation of the quality and the shelf-life of fresh-cut fruits. Non-thermal technologies such as UV radiation are emerging for controlling polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, the main agent responsible for browning. After determining the best operational conditions of a UV LED illuminator (2.43\ub710-3 Wm-2 irradiance), the anti-browning effect of UV-A light (390 nm) treatment at 25 \ub0C over increasing time periods up to 60 min was assessed on fresh-cut apples (Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji) and pears (Abate F\ue9tel, Decana). Colour variation (\u394E) and its percent reduction (%R\u394E) were measured using a colorimeter and the greatest effect was observed in apples which showed higher %R\u394E values than pears (58% vs 25% after 60 min exposure, respectively). Moreover electrophoretic and zymographic techniques demonstrated the inhibitory effect of UV-A irradiation on PPO activity. Anti-browning was found to be related to irradiance, exposure time and the fruit cultivar. Overall this study confirmed UV-A LED technology as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional approaches for reducing browning of minimally processed products. Industrial relevance: Treatment of fresh-cut products with UV-A LED is not only easy and inexpensive to produce but also presents few hazards for humans. Moreover, the use of LED light sources brings many advantages such as energy savings, device durability, low environmental impact, high luminous efficiency and little thermal effect. UV-A LED technology has great potential to meet the demands of the food industry in the processing of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. In addition it could also be considered a pre-treatment of fruits and vegetables being processed for the production of snacks