Changes in the storage quality of fresh-cut vegetables using supercritical carbon dioxide treatment

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCD) has been studied for its effectiveness in preserving vegetables, but most research has focused on overall changes in the total phenolic, carotenoid and sugar contents. However, the detailed changes in individual nutrients during storage, as well as their relationship, remain largely unexplored. Herein, in this work, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze the variations in individual carotenoids and sugars in SCCD-treated carrots and pumpkins during 21 days of storage. The results demonstrated that SCCD effectively inhibited microbial growth, and maintained the low levels of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activity during storage. SCCD also deferred the degradation of carotenoid profile and phenolic compounds. Additionally, SCCD accelerated the hydrolysis of sucrose content while postponing the reduction of glucose and fructose. In summary, the SCCD technique could delay the quality deterioration of fresh-cut vegetables, preserving them with minimal quality changes.