Quality preserving agent for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, and quality preserving method for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits

Abstract

To provide a new and safe quality preserving agent and a quality preserving method for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits that allow the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits during storage to be preserved easily and effectively, and allow freshness dates of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits to be longer than before.SOLUTION: A quality preserving agent for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits contains α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin. A quality preserving method for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits includes processing of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits using a solution containing 0.01-5.0%(w / v) α-lipoic acid and 0.01-5.0%(w / v) α-cyclodextrin.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a quality preserving agent for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, and a method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, various studies have been carried out to prevent deterioration of food quality during storage.

[0003] For example, as techniques for maintaining the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits during storage, a technique using sodium acetate and α-lipoic acid (see, for example, Patent Document 1) and a technique using α-lipoic acid and L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate (see, for example, Patent Document 2) have been proposed. Also, as a technique for stabilizing the color of immature fruit puree, a technique for adding cyclodextrin to immature fruit puree (see, for example, Patent Document 3) has been proposed, and as a technique for maintaining the freshness of lettuce, a technique for using protease as a main component in combination with an antioxidant and / or cyclodextrin (see, for example, Patent Document 4) has been proposed.

[0004] The techniques proposed above have been effective to some extent in preventing deterioration of food quality during storage.

[0005] However, in recent years, the increase in food waste has become a serious problem, and there are concerns about rising costs for replacing products due to labor shortages at supermarkets and convenience stores. As a result, extending the shelf life of products has become an urgent issue, and there is a growing demand for excellent quality preservatives for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits that can extend the shelf life of products beyond what is currently available.

[0006] Therefore, there is currently a strong demand for the prompt development of a new, highly safe quality preserving agent and a method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, which can easily and effectively preserve the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits during storage, and which enables the shelf life of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits to be extended compared to conventional methods. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2014 / 017616 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-029071 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-060793 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 03-228641 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention addresses these demands, breaks through the current situation, solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and achieves the following objectives: Specifically, the present invention aims to provide a new, highly safe quality preserving agent and a method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, which can easily and effectively preserve the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits during storage, and which enables the shelf life of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits to be extended compared to conventional methods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of intensive research conducted by the present inventors to achieve the above-mentioned object, they found that, although α-cyclodextrin, when used alone, does not have a quality preserving effect on peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, when used in combination with α-lipoic acid, a significant quality preserving effect is obtained compared to when α-lipoic acid is used alone, and the quality of many types of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits can be easily and effectively preserved when stored in a refrigerator or at room temperature (discoloration, browning, etc. during storage can be easily and effectively suppressed, and the color, freshness, aroma, etc. can be maintained), which led to the completion of the present invention.

[0010] The present invention is based on the above findings of the present inventors, and the means for solving the above problems are as follows: <1> A quality preservative for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, characterized by containing α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin. <2> The above-mentioned solution is used as a solution containing 0.01 to 5.0% (w / v) of α-lipoic acid and 0.01 to 5.0% (w / v) of α-cyclodextrin. <1> It is a quality preservative described in the above. <3> The mass ratio of α-lipoic acid to α-cyclodextrin (α-lipoic acid:α-cyclodextrin) is 1:100 to 100:1. <1> or <2> It is a quality preservative described in the above. <4> Prevents discoloration when stored at 4 to 30°C <1> ~ <3> The quality preservative according to any one of the above items. <5> Used as a solution with a pH of 5.0 to 7.8 <1> ~ <4> The quality preservative according to any one of the above items. <6> A method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, characterized by comprising treating peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits with a solution containing 0.01 to 5.0% (w / v) of α-lipoic acid and 0.01 to 5.0% (w / v) of α-cyclodextrin. <7> The mass ratio of α-lipoic acid to α-cyclodextrin (α-lipoic acid:α-cyclodextrin) is 1:100 to 100:1. <6> This is the method described above. <8> Prevents discoloration when stored at 4 to 30°C <6> or <7> This is the method described above. <9> Used as a solution with a pH of 5.0 to 7.8 <6> ~ <8> The method is any one of the above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention can solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and achieve the above-mentioned object, and can provide a new, highly safe quality preservation agent and a method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, which can easily and effectively preserve the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits during storage and enable the expiration date of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits to be extended compared to conventional methods. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing the state of the avocado in Test Example 1-1. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the state of the avocado in Test Example 1-2. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C is a diagram showing the state of the avocado in Test Example 1-3. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the state of the avocado in Test Example 2. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the state of the avocado in Test Example 3. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the state of the avocado in Test Example 4. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the state of the avocado in Test Example 5. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the state of the avocado in Test Example 6. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the state of lettuce in Test Example 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] (Quality preservative for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits) The quality preservative for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "quality preservative") contains at least α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin as active ingredients, and may further contain other ingredients as necessary.

[0014] <α-lipoic acid> Alpha-lipoic acid, also known as thioctic acid, is a sulfur-containing vitamin-like substance that is widely present in the bodies of animals and plants and functions as a coenzyme. It has traditionally been ingested as a supplement material and was approved as a food additive in 2004. Alpha-lipoic acid has a high antioxidant potential and is characterized by its ability to reduce polyphenols oxidized by polyphenol oxidase. In the present invention, alpha-lipoic acid also includes its salts. There are no particular limitations on the salt of alpha-lipoic acid, and it can be selected appropriately, but sodium salts are preferred due to their high water solubility.

[0015] The α-lipoic acid is not particularly limited as long as it is of a grade suitable for food applications, and can be appropriately selected. The α-lipoic acid is commercially available, and a commercially available product can be used as appropriate. The content of α-lipoic acid in the quality preservative is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the amount to be used, etc.

[0016] <α-cyclodextrin> α-Cyclodextrin, also known as cyclic oligosaccharide, is a compound in which glucose molecules are linked in a ring via α-1,4 glucoside bonds, with six glucose molecules bonded in a ring. α-Cyclodextrin is known to stabilize light- and heat-labile substances by incorporating various molecules into its hydrophobic cavity.

[0017] The α-cyclodextrin is not particularly limited as long as it is of a grade suitable for food applications, and can be appropriately selected. The content of α-lipoic acid in the quality preservative is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the amount to be used, etc. The α-cyclodextrin is commercially available, and a commercially available product can be used as appropriate. The content of the α-cyclodextrin in the quality preservative is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the amount to be used, etc.

[0018] <Other ingredients> The other ingredients are not particularly limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention and can be selected appropriately. Examples of the other ingredients include ingredients that have bacteriostatic activity themselves (organic acids such as lactic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, and the like, and their salts; amino acids such as alanine; ferulic acid; glycerin fatty acid esters; ethanol; lysozyme; plant extracts such as mustard extract, Hokosshi extract, horseradish extract, tea extract, licorice oil extract, yucca extract, and rosemary extract); pH adjusters (organic acids such as lactic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, and malic acid, and their salts; condensed phosphates such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, pyrophosphates, polyphosphates, and metaphosphates); ingredients that have pH adjusting, bacteriostatic, and texture improving effects (calcium hydroxide, shell calcium, and the like); salts such as table salt; and sugars (monosaccharides). , disaccharides, maltotriose, oligosaccharides, dextrin, sugar alcohols, etc.), protein hydrolysates, peptides, emulsifiers (glycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, enzyme-treated lecithin, calcium stearoyl lactylate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, starch octenylsuccinate sodium salt, etc.), thickening polysaccharides (gum arabic, xanthan gum, welan gum, tamarind seed gum, carrageenan, curdlan, succinoglycan, locust bean gum, tara gum, pectin, alginates, alginic acid esters, etc.), antioxidants (ascorbic acid, tocopherols, rosemary extract, catechin, tea extract), etc. The other ingredients may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The quality preservative preferably contains a pH adjuster, as this can further enhance the quality preservation effect. The other components are commercially available, and commercially available products can be used as appropriate. The content of the other ingredients in the quality preservative is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the amount to be used, etc.

[0019] <Aspect> The quality preservative is preferably prepared as a mixed preparation of the α-lipoic acid and the α-cyclodextrin. When preparing the mixed preparation, the α-lipoic acid and the α-cyclodextrin may be used alone, or other ingredients may be added as needed, or an auxiliary agent may be used as a raw material for preparation. The auxiliary agent is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately. Examples of the auxiliary agent include salt, polysaccharides (e.g., dextrin), and emulsifiers. The quality preservative may be prepared not as a mixed preparation as described above, but by using predetermined amounts of each component at the stage of preparing a solution. The form of the quality preservative is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately. Examples include solids such as powder and granules, and liquids dissolved in a solvent such as water.

[0020] <Use> The manner of use of the quality preservative is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately, but it is preferably in the form of a solution containing the above-mentioned components.

[0021] The method for treating the peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits with the solution is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately, and examples thereof include a method of immersing the peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits in the solution, a method of spraying or applying the solution to the peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The quality preservative may be added or mixed in the form of a solid such as powder or granules to peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0022] -Usage amount- The amount of the quality preservative used is not particularly limited as long as it contains effective amounts of the α-lipoic acid and the α-cyclodextrin, and can be selected appropriately.

[0023] --α-lipoic acid-- The amount of α-lipoic acid used is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately depending on the purpose. For example, when using the solution to treat peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, the amount of α-lipoic acid used, i.e., the content of α-lipoic acid in the solution, is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately, but is preferably 0.03 to 5.0% (w / v), more preferably 0.08 to 2.0% (w / v), and even more preferably 0.08 to 0.5% (w / v). A concentration within the preferred range not only maintains the quality of the product, but also has the advantages of minimizing the impact on the taste and flavor of the peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits and keeping costs within a range consistent with consumer demand.

[0024] --α-Cyclodextrin-- The amount of α-cyclodextrin used is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately depending on the purpose. For example, when using the solution to treat peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, the amount of α-cyclodextrin used, i.e., the content of α-cyclodextrin in the solution, is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately, but is preferably 0.01 to 5.0% (w / v), more preferably 0.08 to 5.0% (w / v), and even more preferably 0.08 to 2.0% (w / v). A concentration within the preferred range not only enhances the effect of α-lipoic acid and maintains quality, but also has the advantage of keeping costs within a range that meets consumer demand.

[0025] The mass ratio of the α-lipoic acid to the α-cyclodextrin (α-lipoic acid:α-cyclodextrin, hereinafter sometimes referred to as "blending ratio") is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately, but is preferably in the range of 1:100 to 100:1, and more preferably in the range of 1:10 to 75:1. A ratio within this preferred range is advantageous in that it is more effective in preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0026] When using the solution to treat peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, the pH of the solution is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately, but is preferably adjusted to a pH range of 5.0 to 7.8, and more preferably to a pH range of 6.5 to 7.8. Adjusting the pH to the preferred range is advantageous in that it is more effective in preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits. The pH of the solution may be adjusted to within the preferred range by dissolving the α-lipoic acid, the α-cyclodextrin, and, if necessary, the other components in a solvent, or may be adjusted using the pH adjuster. In the present invention, pH refers to the pH at 20°C.

[0027] -Time of use- The timing at which the quality preservative is applied to peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits is not particularly limited and can be selected as appropriate. The number of times the quality preservative is applied to peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately, and may be one or more times. The application time (treatment time) can also be selected appropriately.

[0028] The quality preservative may be used alone or in combination with other preparations such as a shelf life improver.

[0029] The quality preservative can be suitably used to prevent discoloration during storage at 4 to 30°C.

[0030] <Peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits> In the present invention, peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits refer to vegetables that have been peeled and / or cut, or fruits that have been peeled and / or cut. The vegetables and fruits that are the subject of quality preservation in this invention are those that are peeled and / or cut and used in various foods, i.e., vegetables and fruits that are eaten as is without being peeled and / or cut are excluded.

[0031] The peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits are not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. For example, examples of foods that are problematic due to red discoloration during storage include cut lettuce (cut head lettuce, leaf lettuce, cos lettuce, etc.), peeled and / or cut burdock, and peeled and / or cut taro. Examples of products that are problematic for browning during storage include peeled and / or cut apples, peeled and / or cut lotus root, peeled and / or cut sweet potatoes, peeled and / or cut nagaimo (Japanese yam), peeled and / or cut peaches, peeled and / or cut loquats, and peeled and / or cut daikon radishes. Examples of products that are prone to blackening during storage include cut cabbage, cut chrysanthemum, cut mushrooms, peeled and / or cut avocado, peeled and / or cut banana, peeled and / or cut potato, peeled and / or cut eggplant, peeled and / or cut pear, and cut Chinese cabbage. Other examples include peeled and / or cut butterbur, which is prone to discoloring to reddish-black or brownish-red, and peeled and / or cut tomatoes, which are prone to blackening and discoloration during storage. The peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits are not limited to those exemplified above.

[0032] The quality preservative is preferably used to treat fresh produce or frozen fresh produce, but it can also be used to treat processed products (such as those that have been steamed, baked, seasoned, etc.) of these produce.

[0033] (How to preserve the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits) The quality preservation method of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "quality preservation method") includes at least a processing step, and may further include other steps as necessary.

[0034] <Processing process> The treatment step is a step of treating peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits with a solution containing 0.01 to 5.0% (w / v) of α-lipoic acid and 0.01 to 5.0% (w / v) of α-cyclodextrin.

[0035] The method for the treatment step is not particularly limited and can be selected as appropriate. For example, it can be carried out in the same manner as described in the "Use" section of the present invention (the quality preservative for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits).

[0036] The peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits are the same as those described in the <Peeled and / or Cut Vegetables and Fruits> section of the (Quality Preservative for Peeled and / or Cut Vegetables and Fruits) of the present invention described above.

[0037] The quality preservation agent and quality preservation method of the present invention can simply and effectively preserve the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits during storage, and can extend the shelf life of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, the present invention uses α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin, two ingredients that have a proven track record of use as food additives and are widely consumed in the diet, as active ingredients in the quality preservation agent for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, making it highly safe. [Example]

[0038] The present invention will be described below with reference to test examples, but the present invention is not limited to these test examples. In all of the test examples below, sodium salt of α-lipoic acid was used as α-lipoic acid.

[0039] (Test Example 1) The following test was conducted using peeled and cut avocado as an example of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0040] <Test Example 1-1> - Preparation of solutions - Solutions containing α-lipoic acid at 0.03% (w / v) or 0.10% (w / v) were prepared.

[0041] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- After immersing peeled and cut avocado slices of any size in the above solution for 10 minutes, the avocados were drained in a colander and stored in a storage container at 20°C.

[0042] -evaluation- The condition of the avocados after 72 hours of storage was visually inspected and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated. The greater the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning (low degree of discoloration and browning), the more "+" marks there were, and a "-" indicated no effect at all (complete discoloration and browning). The evaluation results are shown in Table 1-1, and the condition of the avocados after 72 hours of storage is shown in Figure 1A.

[0043] [Table 1-1]

[0044] <Test Example 1-2> - Preparation of solutions - Solutions containing 0 (w / v) (no addition), 0.1% (w / v), or 1.0% (w / v) of α-cyclodextrin were prepared.

[0045] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- Avocados treated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1 were placed in a storage container and stored at 10°C.

[0046] -evaluation- The condition of the avocados after 48 hours of storage was visually inspected, and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1-2, and the condition of the avocados after 48 hours of storage is shown in Figure 1B.

[0047] [Table 1-2]

[0048] <Test Example 1-3> - Preparation of solutions - A solution (pH 7.4) containing 0.085% (w / v) of α-lipoic acid and 0.08% (w / v) of α-cyclodextrin was prepared.

[0049] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- Avocados treated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1 were placed in a storage container and stored at 20°C.

[0050] -evaluation- The condition of the avocados after 72 hours of storage was visually inspected, and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1-3, and the condition of the avocados after 24, 48, and 72 hours of storage is shown in Figure 1C.

[0051] [Table 1-3]

[0052] The results of Test Example 1 confirmed that the combined use of α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin provides an excellent quality preservation effect.

[0053] (Test Example 2) The following test was conducted using peeled and cut avocado as an example of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0054] - Preparation of solutions - A solution was prepared containing α-lipoic acid, β-cyclodextrin, and γ-cyclodextrin in the amounts shown in Table 2 below.

[0055] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- Avocados treated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1 were placed in a storage container and stored at 20°C.

[0056] -evaluation- The condition of the avocados after 24 hours of storage was visually inspected, and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2, and the condition of the avocados after 24 hours of storage is shown in Figure 2.

[0057] [Table 2]

[0058] The results of Test Example 2 confirmed that β-cyclodextrin and γ-cyclodextrin did not improve the quality preservation effect even when used in combination with α-lipoic acid.

[0059] (Test Example 3) The following test was conducted using peeled and cut avocado as an example of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0060] - Preparation of solutions - A solution was prepared containing α-lipoic acid, α-cyclodextrin, and sodium ascorbate in the amounts shown in Table 3 below.

[0061] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- Avocados treated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1 were placed in a storage container and stored at 20°C.

[0062] -evaluation- The condition of the avocados after 72 hours of storage was visually inspected, and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3, and the condition of the avocados after 24, 48, and 72 hours of storage is shown in Figure 3.

[0063] [Table 3]

[0064] The results of Test Example 3 confirmed that the highest quality preservation effect was achieved when α-cyclodextrin was used in combination with α-lipoic acid.

[0065] (Test Example 4) The following test was conducted using peeled and cut avocado as an example of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0066] - Preparation of solutions - Solutions were prepared so as to contain α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin in the amounts shown in Table 4 below. The pH of the solution in Test Example 4-1 was 7.3, and the pH of the solution in Test Example 4-2 was 7.4.

[0067] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- Avocados treated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1 were placed in a storage container and stored at 20°C.

[0068] -evaluation- The condition of the avocados after 48 hours of storage was visually inspected, and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 4, and the condition of the avocados after 48 hours of storage is shown in Figure 4.

[0069] [Table 4]

[0070] (Test Example 5) The following test was conducted using peeled and cut avocado as an example of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0071] - Preparation of solutions - Solutions were prepared so as to contain α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin in the amounts shown in Table 5 below. The pH of the solution in Test Example 5-1 was 7.8, the pH of the solution in Test Example 5-2 was 7.6, the pH of the solution in Test Example 5-3 was 6.7, the pH of the solution in Test Example 5-4 was 6.6, and the pH of the solution in Test Example 5-5 was 6.5.

[0072] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- Avocados treated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1 were placed in a storage container and stored at 20°C.

[0073] -evaluation- The condition of the avocados after 48 hours of storage was visually inspected, and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 5, and the condition of the avocados after 48 hours of storage is shown in Figure 5.

[0074] [Table 5]

[0075] As shown in Table 5, a high quality preservation effect was confirmed in Test Examples 5-4 and 5-5, which had high concentrations of α-lipoic acid, but a sufficient quality preservation effect was also observed at the concentration of Test Example 5-3.

[0076] (Test Example 6) The following test was conducted using peeled and cut avocado as an example of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0077] - Preparation of solutions - Solutions containing α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin in the amounts shown in Table 6 below were prepared. The pH of the solutions was adjusted to 7.2 with sodium acetate and citric acid. A solution containing no α-lipoic acid or α-cyclodextrin (no additives) was also prepared.

[0078] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- Avocados treated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1 were placed in a storage container and stored at 10°C.

[0079] -evaluation- The condition of the avocados after 96 hours of storage was visually inspected, and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 6, and the condition of the avocados after 72 and 96 hours of storage is shown in Figure 6.

[0080] [Table 6]

[0081] (Test Example 7) The following test was carried out using cut lettuce as an example of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits.

[0082] - Preparation of solutions - Solutions were prepared so as to contain α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin in the amounts shown in Table 7 below. The pH of the solution in Test Example 7-1 was 7.3, and the pH of the solution in Test Example 7-2 was 7.2.

[0083] -Peeling and / or cutting vegetables and fruits- Lettuce leaves cut to any size were immersed in a 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite solution for 10 minutes, then immersed in running water for 10 minutes, and drained using a salad spinner. After that, the lettuce was immersed in the above solution for 1 minute, and then drained using a salad spinner.The lettuce was placed in a storage container and stored at 10°C.

[0084] -evaluation- The condition of the lettuce after 96 hours of storage was visually inspected, and the effect of inhibiting discoloration and browning was evaluated in the same manner as in Test Example 1-1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 7, and the condition of the lettuce after 72 and 96 hours of storage is shown in Figure 7.

[0085] [Table 7]

[0086] As described above, it has been confirmed that the present invention can prevent discoloration and browning of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits during storage, and can easily and effectively preserve their quality. It has also been shown that the shelf life of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits can be extended compared to conventional quality preservatives.

Claims

1. A quality preservative for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits containing α-lipoic acid and α-cyclodextrin, A quality preservation agent for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, characterized in that it is used as a solution containing 0.085 to 5.0% (w / v) of the α-lipoic acid and 0.08 to 5.0% (w / v) of the α-cyclodextrin.

2. A quality preservation agent for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits as described in Claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of the α-lipoic acid to the α-cyclodextrin (α-lipoic acid:α-cyclodextrin) is 1:100 to 100:

1.

3. A quality preservative for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits as described in claim 1 or 2, which prevents discoloration during storage at 4 to 30°C.

4. A quality preservative for peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits described in any one of claims 1 to 3, which is used as a solution having a pH of 5.0 to 7.

8.

5. A method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits, comprising treating peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits with a solution containing 0.085 to 5.0% (w / v) of alpha-lipoic acid and 0.08 to 5.0% (w / v) of alpha-cyclodextrin.

6. A method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits as described in Claim 5, wherein the mass ratio of the α-lipoic acid to the α-cyclodextrin (α-lipoic acid:α-cyclodextrin) is 1:100 to 100:

1.

7. A method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits as described in claim 5 or 6, which prevents discoloration during storage at 4 to 30°C.

8. A method for preserving the quality of peeled and / or cut vegetables and fruits according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the method is used as a solution having a pH of 5.0 to 7.8.

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