ABSTRACT
Achieving increased fruit and vegetable consumption is a major public health challenge since the rise of deaths by noncommunicable diseases in both wealthier and poorer nations is attributed to inadequate fruit and vegetable intake (Lock et al. 2004). A health benet from a higher intake of fruits and vegetables may be the increased consumption of vitamins, minerals, and dietary ber. Other constituents that may lower the risk of cancer and heart disease as well as prevent degenerative diseases include carotenoids, avonoids, and other phenolics (Tee 1992; Rimm et al. 1996). A way to increase fresh fruit and vegetables consumption is the presentation of whole fruits and vegetables as minimally processed products in convenient single servings. These products are fruits or vegetables that have been trimmed, peeled, and/or cut into a fully usable product, disinfected, packaged, and sold under refrigeration to offer consumers high nutrition, convenience, and avor while maintaining freshness (IFPA 2001). However, minimal processing results in major tissue disruption of surface cells and injury stress of underlying tissues (Toivonen 2004), and accelerates the end of the postcutting life mainly due to a reduction in quality (Gil et al. 2006).
