EFFECT OF PROCESSING ON THE ASCORBIC ACID CONTENT AND VISUAL QUALITY OF FRESH CUT LETTUCE

Production and postharvest technology aiming at cost reduction, and improved quality and presentation are applied to fresh, consumption-ready salad produce. The postharvest process places the product in the best conservation conditions extremely quickly. The atmosphere composition inside the package is changed by tissue respiration, which can be either advantageous or disadvantageous for the final quality of the packed product.

Lettuce contains a high percentage of minerals and vitamins and, being low in calories, is really necessary for any diet, but it is also important to know the nutritional value of the product when it is cut and ready for consumption. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of processing on the postharvest quality of four types of lettuces.