Quality and safety of fresh produce depend on their microbial flora. Every step from production to consumption will influence the microbiology of fresh produce. Improper handling and unsanitary equipment lead to an increase in populations of microorganisms in fresh fruits and vegetables and can compromise quality and safety. For reasons of expense, labor and hygiene, fresh prepacked vegetables have become very popular, since they are already peeled, sliced, shredded, that is, minimally processed. Processing steps such as cutting usually increase the populations of microorganisms and developing shorten shelf life. The use of techniques to extend shelf life can increase the risk of developing safety problems and therefore need to be carefully evaluated. Proper use of disinfectants can complement an effective sanitization program but should not be relied upon to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms from contaminated produce. The aim of this review article is to present quality and safety aspects of minimal processing of ready-to-eat shredded lettuce.
minimally processed; lettuce; shelf-life; quality; food production