Fresh-cut pineapple has experienced an increase in demand due to its great health benefits and is rich in vitamins A, B and C. Moreover, pineapple is known as a source of the enzyme bromelain, which has therapeutic applications, such as reducing inflammation, improving digestion and treating osteoarthritis. However, bromelain generally affects the pineapple’s flavour and is less preferred by consumers due to the uncomfortable prickling and tingling sensations it brings. In the present study, two types of gases and their combination, nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), were used to evaluate their impacts on reducing the tingling and prickling sensations, as well as maintaining the postharvest qualities of fresh-cut pineapple stored at 5°C for 12 days. The parameters being evaluated were the bromelain enzyme activity, flesh colour, ascorbic acid concentration, flesh firmness, soluble solids concentration (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and sensory evaluation. No significant differences were recorded for all parameters tested. Based on the sensory evaluations, all the attributes, such as colour, aroma, texture, sweetness, sourness, tingling and prickling sensations, and overall acceptance were not affected by the different gases application. Even though no apparent effect was observed, the 30 panellists preferred the aforementioned attributes, except sourness. In conclusion, the fumigation treatments with N2 and CO2 gases were not effective in reducing the tingling and prickling sensations of pineapples cv. Morris.
Pineapple is one of the most important commercial fruit crops served in fresh-cut form which is convenientfor the consumers. However, fresh-cut pineapple induces the activity of phenolic compounds which triggers the generation of brown or dark pigments. Browning incidence (BI) directly influences the fruit’s acceptability and marketability. Therefore, different exposure times (5mins, 10mins, 15mins and 20mins)and typesof LED lights (white, red and blue) were applied on fresh-cut pineapple stored at 5oC storage for twelve days to reduce BI. A significant interaction between the two factors was recorded in lightness coefficient, chroma, total phenolic and ascorbic acid (AA)contents. Regardless of exposure times, all types of LED lights, mainly the blue light, succeeded in delaying BI in fresh-cut pineapple. In conclusion, blue light had a tendency todelay BI andmaintaintheother postharvest quality attributes of fresh-cut pineapple.