ABSTRACT
These products may be packed in pouches and tubs for retail, or sold through salad bars in supermarkets, delicatessens, and restaurants. Minimally processed vegetables may be packaged in air, in either sealed or unsealed containers, or under modified atmospheres (MA), in which an appropriate gas mixture, e.g., 5-10% carbon dioxide (CO2) and 2-5% oxygen (O2), is introduced into the package by gas flushing. When the vegetables are contained in a sealed package, made of a material that impedes the free passage of CO2 and O2 in and out of the package, respiration of the vegetables will modify the package atmosphere (Sec. 3). The shelf life of minimally processed vegetable products is both product and packaging dependent, and ranges between 4 and 12 days when chill stored (<5°C).
