4.7 Article

Specific Microbial Communities Are Selected in Minimally-Processed Fruit and Vegetables according to the Type of Product

Journal

FOODS
Volume 11, Issue 14, Pages -

Publisher

MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/foods11142164

Keywords

fruit microbiota; vegetable microbiota; vegetable spoilage; fresh-cut; minimally-processed vegetables

Funding

  1. project SHEALTHY-Non-Thermal physical technologies to preserve healthiness of fresh and minimally processed fruit and vegetables - European Union's H2020 Research and Innovation Program [817936]

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This study evaluated the bacterial and fungal populations in F&V products and found diverse and product-specific communities, influenced by vegetable morphology and type of edible fraction of fruits. The presence of alternative and potentially pathogenic taxa highlights the need for novel strategies to control the microbial composition of F&V and extend their shelf-life.
Fruits and vegetables (F&V) products are recommended for the daily diet due to their low caloric content, high amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Furthermore, these foods are a source of various phytochemical compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids and sterols, exerting antioxidant activity. Despite the benefits derived from eating raw F&V, the quality and safety of these products may represent a source of concern, since they can be quickly spoiled and have a very short shelf-life. Moreover, they may be a vehicle of pathogenic microorganisms. This study aims to evaluate the bacterial and fungal populations in F&V products (i.e., iceberg lettuces, arugula, spinaches, fennels, tomatoes and pears) by using culture-dependent microbiological analysis and high-throughput sequencing (HTS), in order to decipher the microbial populations that characterize minimally-processed F&V. Our results show that F&V harbor diverse and product-specific bacterial and fungal communities, with vegetables leaf morphology and type of edible fraction of fruits exerting the highest influence. In addition, we observed that several alterative (e.g., Pseudomonas and Aspergillus) and potentially pathogenic taxa (such as Staphylococcus and Cladosporium) are present, thus emphasizing the need for novel product-specific strategies to control the microbial composition of F&V and extend their shelf-life.

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