Yellowing of fresh-cut spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves delayed by UV-B applications

In present work, the effects of UV-B treatments on quality of fresh-cut spinach leaves were studied. For this purpose, spinach leaves grown in glasshouse were harvest, cleaned and placed into polystyrene foam dishes and wrapped by stretch film. After packaging, fresh-cut spinach leaves were treated with UV-B irradiation and were stored at 5 °C temperature for 12 days. Total soluble solids, visual quality, L∗a∗b∗ values, and also hue angle values of samples were determined during storage. Total soluble solids content of samples in control group has been higher than those from samples in UV-B treatments, however, visual quality was lower than the other treatments. According to L∗ values of the samples, it is found that lower ultraviolet irratiation (UV-B) treatments caused yellowing of samples, and also same result was obtained by b∗ and a∗ values of fresh-cut spinach leaves. Similarly, hue angles values of samples treated with UV-B for 6 min was higher compared with the other treatments. Consequently, yellowing of fresh-cut spinach leaves was decreased, and visual quality scores of samples was increased through ultraviolet irradiation treatments.