Postharvest Quality of Arugula (<i>Eruca sativa</i>) Microgreens Determined by Microbiological, Physico-Chemical, and Sensory Parameters
Marina R. Komeroski,
Thais Beninca,
Keyla A. Portal,
Patrícia S. Malheiros,
Tâmmila V. Klug,
Simone H. Flores,
Alessandro O. Rios
Affiliations
Marina R. Komeroski
Postgraduate Program in Food Science, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90010-150, Brazil
Thais Beninca
Postgraduate Program in Food Science, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90010-150, Brazil
Keyla A. Portal
Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90010-150, Brazil
Patrícia S. Malheiros
Postgraduate Program in Food Science, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90010-150, Brazil
Tâmmila V. Klug
Postgraduate Program in Science and Food Technology, Department of Food Science, Farroupilha Federal Institute, Santa Maria 97050-685, Brazil
Simone H. Flores
Postgraduate Program in Food Science, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90010-150, Brazil
Alessandro O. Rios
Postgraduate Program in Food Science, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90010-150, Brazil
(1) Background: Cultivating microgreens is emerging as an excellent market opportunity. Their easy, short, and sustainable production methods are the main reasons they are approved by growers. However, a feature that still prevents its further spread is the microbiological risk and their rapid senescence. The present study was conducted to evaluate the post-harvest storage and shelf life of arugula microgreens in different packaging through microbiological, physico-chemical, and sensory parameters; (2) Methods: Plants were stored at 5 °C in open air, vacuum sealed, and under modified atmosphere bags and tested at 0, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days; (3) Results: Microgreens stored in all packaging were safe for consumption within ten days. Regarding physical and chemical parameters, open packaging proved to be promising, with less weight loss and slower chlorophyll degradation. The sensory analysis demonstrated that the microgreens stored in the vacuum-sealed packaging showed a decrease in quality from the fifth day onwards for all attributes. However, the MAP presented good scores with a better visual quality, similar to the fresh microgreens.
