Quality Control in Fruit and Vegetable Processing: Methods and Strategies

Quality Control in Fruit and Vegetable Processing: Methods and Strategies illustrates the applications of various nonthermal technologies for improving the quality and safety of fruits and vegetables, such as microwave, ultrasound, gamma irradiation, pulsed light, and hurdle technology. The volume also looks at various strategies (osmotic dehydration, ultrasound- and ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration, nanoemulsions, and engineered nanomaterials) for the preservation of fresh produce. It emphasizes various nondestructive techniques that have been widely used for the quality assessment of fruits and vegetables during storage, including image analysis, x-ray tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nonmagnetic resonance imaging (NMR), color vision system, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and computerized tomography (CT). Applications of other nondestructive mechanical (such as electronic tongue and nose technology) and dynamic methods (acoustic) for food quality and safety evaluation have also been included. The book concludes with an overview of the potential use of fruit and vegetable waste as a viable feedstock for bioenergy and for the treatment of wastewater. Key features Promotes the utilization of new and novel nonthermal technologies for the preservation of fruits and vegetables Provide up-to-date information on the applications of nonthermal technologies for the quality and safety of fresh produce during storage Highlights different preservation strategies for improving the quality of fresh produce Explores the use of nondestructive quality assessment methods such as X-ray, MRI, NMR, etc. Discusses the potential industrial use of fruit and vegetable waste as a viable feedstock for bioenergy and for the treatment of industrial wastewater This volume will provide food for thought for those in the food industry on new methods and technology for effective quality control in fruit and vegetable processing.