Mesophilic Aerobic Population of Fresh-cut Spinach as Affected by Chemical Treatment and Type of Packaging Film

Fresh‐cut spinach was treated with citric acid and ascorbic acid solutions and packaged in mono‐oriented polypropylene bags or low‐density polyethylene bags. Response surface methodology was used to study the simultaneous effect of chemical treatment and refrigerated storage time on headspace gas composition, mesophilic aerobic population (AP), and pH of fresh‐cut spinach. Type of film affected %CO2, %O2, and pH but did not influence AP. Chemical treatment reduced initial pH values and initial microbial counts. AP and pH increased during refrigerated storage. The model developed for AP enabled finding acid concentrations that lowered AP below any proposed microbiological criterion at production and consumption stages of fresh‐cut spinach stored at 4 °C.