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Food safety and eradication of food waste are current concerns of society and governments due to health, ethics, and sustainable economics. There are multiple technologies for monitoring food safety at different chain stages, among them, time-temperature integrators (TTI). Temperature is a major factor affecting food quality and safety during its life cycle. This parameter can be monitored using TTI devices on food packages, allowing users to know the thermal exposure. This chapter addresses food safety issues, namely factors related to microbial growth responsible for food deterioration. Moreover, TTI monitoring technologies are also described, focusing on features, advantages, disadvantages, applicability, and product examples. Analysis of the current state of TTI and technological evolution, a prediction is provided for future TTI devices designed for more assertive, traceable, safe, and quality food products.

Currently, there is a growing demand for cleaner and sustainable technologies due to environmental issues. In this sense, there is a necessity to manage the assessment of production processes and the rationalization of energy consumption. In this study, an Energy Life-Cycle Assessment (ELCA) was carried out through energy efficiency indicators, directed to the characterization and renewability of the peach production system life-cycle in the Portuguese region of Beira Interior. The study intends to investigate the non-renewable energy inputs from fossil fuels, as well as the emissions resulting from machinery. In addition, warehouse energy inputs are analyzed, mainly cooling systems of refrigerated chambers where fruits are preserved. This analysis aims to find opportunities for technological, environmental and best practices improvements. Test scenarios were analyzed and revealing soil groundcover maintenance is the operation with the largest impact in the energy consumption of the production process (3176 MJ·ha−1 ). In the post-harvest processes, the energy consumption largest impact is given by the warehouse’s operations (35,700 MJ·ha−1 ), followed by transportation (6180 MJ·ha−1 ). Concerning the emissions resulting from the fuels consumption, the largest impact is due to the plantation machinery and the transportation from warehouse to retailers

Este projeto tem como objetivos i) avaliar os efeitos qualitativos da aplicação de frio na conservação de cereja e pêssego recorrendo à avaliação experimental em câmaras de refrigeração com atmosfera normal (em ambiente laboratorial e em Organização de Produtores) e com atmosfera controlada; ii) desenvolver embalagens inteligentes que conciliem a manutenção das características organoléticas com o controlo do grau de respiração e transpiração da fruta e com as caraterísticas da transferência de calor decorrentes do processo de refrigeração. Para tal foram estabelecidos ensaios de conservação em câmaras de refrigeração com cerejas da cultivar Satin e com pêssegos da cultivar Sweet Henry que compreenderam 2 modalidades em atmosfera normal (uma conservada na Organização de Produtores e a outra no Centro de Apoio Tecnológico Agro Alimentar – CATAA) e 3 ou 4 modalidades em atmosfera controlada. O período total de conservação foi de 49 dias para a cereja e de 63 dias para o pêssego. Foram monitorizadas a temperatura e humidade relativa e a qualidade dos frutos, nomeadamente, perda de peso, diferença de cor, teor de sólidos solúveis, firmeza e acidez titulável, bem como parâmetros sensoriais e a incidência de podridões. Relativamente à cereja verificou-se que a maior temperatura de conservação da modalidade conservada na Organização de Produtores poderá estar relacionada com a maior perda de peso, a menor firmeza, o aspeto mais castanho e desidratado dos pedúnculos e com as menores classificações atribuídas às variáveis sensoriais aspeto, sabor e apreciação global. Adicionalmente, foram encontradas diferenças na cor entre os frutos conservados em atmosfera normal e os frutos conservados em atmosfera controlada. Relativamente ao pêssego, verificou-se que as modalidades conservadas em atmosferas controladas tiveram menores perdas de peso e de acidez. Com este projeto pretende-se também desenvolver uma embalagem que possibilite a extensão da vida útil dos produtos. Para tal, foram definidas, juntamente com as organizações, associações de fruticultores e utilizadores finais, as especificações técnicas e funcionalidades requeridas durante o armazenamento e na distribuição com ou sem refrigeração. Foram propostas várias configurações de embalagens com perfuração de diferente dimensão, forma e espessura, com e sem materiais de mudança de fase (PCM – Phase Change Materials), e com distintas estruturas e espessuras de paredes, com o intuito de avaliar qual a solução técnica que permite providenciar a melhor distribuição térmica no interior da embalagem. Estes conceitos foram testados de forma experimental e por modelação numérica de Dinâmica de Fluidos.

Efeito de diferentes condições de conservação na qualidade da cereja da cv. Satin apresenta os resultados de um ensaio de conservação, que decorreu durante 4 anos, que incluiu a utilização de Atmosfera Normal e Atmosfera Controlada, com avaliações semanais da qualidade das cerejas.

Sweet cherry is a highly appreciated seasonal fruit with a high content of bioactive compounds; however, this highly perishable fruit has a relatively short shelf-life period. Here, we evaluated the evolution of the physicochemical and sensory qualities of sweet cherries (Prunus avium (L.) cv. Satin) under different storage conditions, namely at a Farmers’ Organization (FO) and in a Research Centre (RC) under normal and four different conditions of controlled atmosphere for 49 days. Additional parameters were monitored, such as rotten fruit incidence and stem appearance. Temperature was the factor that most influenced the fruit quality changes over the study time. In fact, fruits stored at higher mean temperatures showed higher weight loss, higher variation in CIE-Lab colour parameters, higher firmness loss, and browner and more dehydrated stems and were less appealing to the consumer. Controlled atmosphere conditions showed a smaller decrease in CIE-Lab colour parameters and lower weight loss. The incidence of rotting was very low and was always equal or lower than 2% for all conditions. Thus, RC chamber conditions were able to sustain fruit quality parameters over 28 days under normal atmosphere conditions and 49 days under controlled atmosphere conditions.

Cherry is a highly perishable fruit widely appreciated that is only commercialized during a short period. The post-harvest control and monitoring of this fruit is central and essential for optimal consumption in its highest state of quality. The conservation process aimed to inhibit the microbial propagation is usually accomplished by low temperatures and/or variable atmosphere composition. This paper describes experimental tests conducted in different refrigeration chambers located in industrial and laboratorial facilities. The latter one includes modified atmosphere and controlled atmosphere chambers. The tests were performed with four different concentration of O2 and CO2 in the controlled atmosphere chamber. Fruit samples extracted from each chamber were analyzed at specific residence times and several organoleptic characteristics were analyzed. The results show that the modified and controlled atmosphere maintain the fruit quality in terms of size, color, appearance and firmness, thus increasing their shelf life and food safety.