Minimal processing has been described as handling, preparing, packing, and distribution of agricultural products, throughout certain procedures, such as selection, cleaning, peeling and cutting, that do not affect the sensory characteristics of the products, aggregating value to them. There are some factors that limit the consumption of these products related to their shelf-life, such as increasing of respiration rate and of ethylene production, enzymatic browning, surface white discoloration, water loss and microbiological changes. This work has focused on this last factor. Twenty samples of guava, mango, melon var. "japonês", papaya var. "formosa" and pineapple, commercialized in Fortaleza-CE, were analyzed considering the quantification of fecal and total coliforms, yeasts and molds and searching for potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus coagulase positive and Salmonella sp. Based on the results, it could be suggested the need of quality control, observing the good manufacturing practices, to further implementation of a preventive HACCP system, assuring to the consumer a healthy and a safety product.
fruits; microbiology; minimally processed
