Overall quality of minimally processed faba bean seeds stored in MAP

© 2018 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.Faba beans (Vicia faba L.) are an important source of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, mostly located in the seeds. Pods are harvested before physiological maturity and stored at temperatures near 0°C. Due to their very high respiration rate, loss of quality is fast. Very little information is available about the optimal storage conditions for immature faba bean seeds, which can be seen as a convenient product when minimally processed. The effects of passive modified atmosphere packaging and sanitation with chlorine (100 ppm, pH 6.5) or, alternatively, acidified sodium chlorite (300 ppm, pH 1.8), chlorine plus citric acid (0.05 g mol-1) and acidified sodium chlorite plus citric acid (0.05 g mol-1) on overall quality of fresh immature seeds during storage at 1°C. After 9 d, atmosphere composition was almost the same for all the treatments (5 kPa CO2/16 kPa O2). Spoilage microbial growth (mesophiles, enterobacteria, psychrotrophs and yeast and mould) were around 5.0, 4.0, 5.5 and 2.0 log CFU g-1. When vitamin C was measured, a decrease for all the treatments, starting from a concentration of nearly 1500 mg kg-1 FW and leaving at the end (day 9) values between 500 and 700 mg kg-1 FW, depending on the treatment were observed. Meanwhile, the concentration of protein was always about 150 mg 100 g-1 FW, except for the chlorite treatment, which showed approximately half. Colour, firmness and sensory quality were acceptable until day 6. More research is needed to optimize sanitation and avoidance of browning.