RESUMO
This work aimed to evaluate the effects of N2-assisted high-pressure processing (HPP, 400 MPa/7.5 min and 500 MPa/7.5 min) on the microorganisms and physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of fresh-cut bell peppers (FCBP) during 25 days of storage at 4 °C. Yeasts and molds were not detected, and the counts of total aerobic bacteria were less than 4 log10 CFU/g during storage at 4 °C. The total soluble solids and L* values were maintained in HPP-treated FCBP during storage. After the HPP treatment, an 18.7-21.9% weight loss ratio and 54%-60% loss of hardness were found, and the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity was significantly inactivated (33.87-55.91% of its original activity). During storage, the weight loss ratio and PPO activity of the samples increased significantly, but the hardness of 500 MPa/7.5 min for treated FCBP showed no significant change (9.79-11.54 N). HPP also effectively improved the total phenol content and antioxidant capacity of FCBP to 106.69-108.79 mg GAE/100 g and 5.76-6.55 mmol Trolox/L; however, a non-negligible reduction in total phenols, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant capacity was found during storage. Overall, HPP treatments did not negatively impact the acceptability of all sensory attributes during storage, especially after the 500 MPa/7.5 min treatment. Therefore, N2-assisted HPP processing is a good choice for the preservation of FCBP.