Sanitary dips with calcium propionate, calcium chloride, or a calcium amino acid chelate maintain quality and shelf stability of fresh-cut honeydew chunks

Freshly cut honeydew chunks were dipped for 30 s in a solution containing 1.9 mM hypochlorous acid (ClO) without or with a 40 mM concentration of calcium (Ca) propionate, Ca amino acid chelate formulation (Ca chelate), calcium chloride (CaCl2), or not treated. Respiration and ethylene production rates, firmness, translucency, microbiological and sensory characteristics, surface color, volatile abundance, and tissue calcium content were evaluated during 7 d at 10 degreesC. Nontreated samples developed the highest respiration and ethylene production rates during storage, followed by samples dipped in ClO, ClO+CaCl2 or ClO+Ca chelate, and ClO+Ca propionate. Calcium salt and chelate treatments more than doubled tissue Ca content and inhibited changes in melon firmness, surface color, and the development of tissue translucency during storage. Treatment with ClO alone increased tissue translucency development, but inhibited surface microbial development. Microbial development was higher on nontreated melon samples than on ClO+Ca propionate-treated samples. Total quality-associated volatile abundance increased throughout storage and was higher in ClO+Ca propionate-treated samples than in other treated and nontreated samples. No sensorial preference was observed by consumer panels among ClO-, ClO + Ca propionate-, or ClO + Ca chelate-treated samples. The results indicate that a sanitary dip with Ca is a better alternative to a sanitary dip alone for quality maintenance and shelf-life stability of fresh-cut honeydew melon tissue. Published by Elsevier B.V.