{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T04:40:37Z","timestamp":1777610437734,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,16]],"date-time":"2020-05-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1589587200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/QUI\/50006\/2019 (FCT\/MCTES)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/QUI\/50006\/2019 (FCT\/MCTES)"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The influence of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, 10% O2 and 45% CO2) on the quality characteristics of fresh-cut green, red and yellow bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L. var annuum) was investigated. Packaging film bags (Krehalon MLF40-PA\/PE) with fresh-cut bell peppers were stored for up to 17 days at 5 \u00b0C. The in-package O2 level ranged between 10 and 15%, respecting the current recommendations for fresh-cut vegetable products. Initial CO2 levels were higher than commonly used (from 5 to 10%), decreasing progressively over time due to the permeability of the selected polyethylene film. At the end of the storage period, they stabilized between 2 and 5%. A small variation in texture, moisture, titratable acidity, pH and microbial growth was observed during the storage period, as well as a good color retention and sensory properties maintenance. Negligible losses in the antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds (total phenol, flavonoid, anthocyanin and carotenoid content) were noted at the end of the study. Sensory analysis showed that panelists could not detect significant differences among sampling periods. A PCA with predictive biplots confirmed the existence of significant correlations. The products retain their initial characteristics without severe loss of quality until at least the 17th storage day. Given the current commercial shelf life of fresh-cut bell peppers, ranging from 9 to 14 days, the described treatment enabled an increase of at least 3 days (20%) of the products shelf life, reducing food waste and contributing to food security.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules25102323","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,18]],"date-time":"2020-05-18T11:34:14Z","timestamp":1589801654000},"page":"2323","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Fresh-Cut Bell Peppers in Modified Atmosphere Packaging: Improving Shelf Life to Answer Food Security Concerns"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8042-8642","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla","family":"Barbosa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CISAS-IPVC\/Centre for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability-Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Av. do Atl\u00e2ntico, s\/n, 4900-908 Viana do Castelo, Portugal"},{"name":"REQUIMTE\/Dep. Chemical Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9449-8695","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Thelma B.","family":"Machado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"REQUIMTE\/Dep. Chemical Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Postgraduate Program in Sciences Applied to Health Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fluminense Federal University. Rua Dr M\u00e1rio Viana, 523, Santa Rosa\u2013Niter\u00f3i\u2013RJ 24241-000, Brazil"},{"name":"Postgraduate Program in Biosystems Engineering, School of Engineering, Fluminense Federal University. Rua Passo da P\u00e1tria, 156 bloco D, sala 236, S\u00e3o Domingos-Niter\u00f3i-RJ 24210-240, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1844-485X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuel Rui","family":"Alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CISAS-IPVC\/Centre for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability-Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Av. do Atl\u00e2ntico, s\/n, 4900-908 Viana do Castelo, Portugal"},{"name":"REQUIMTE\/Dep. Chemical Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6767-6596","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Beatriz P. P.","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"REQUIMTE\/Dep. Chemical Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2011.11.044","article-title":"Reasons for household food waste with special attention to packaging","volume":"24","author":"Williams","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Clean Prod."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"1","article-title":"Food Security into a Circular Economy","volume":"4","author":"Segneanu","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Food Sci. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lwt.2012.06.010","article-title":"Development of a new fresh-like product from \u2018Lamuyo\u2019 red bell peppers using hurdle technology","volume":"50","author":"Horvitz","year":"2013","journal-title":"LWT-Food Sci. 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