The visual quality of fresh-cut artichokes was significantly
influenced by both the packaging conditions and dipping in the
SPI-based edible coating. Uncoated samples were evaluated as
being below the limit of marketability by storage day 1 (Fig. 7).
The maximum commercial shelf-life achieved was 3 days of storage
with the coated samples packed under superatmospheric O2
(MA-B) and atmospheric conditions (Control), whereas those samples
in MA-A and the passive atmosphere (MA-P) reached the limit
of marketability in 1 and 2 days, respectively. Therefore, the combination
of the SPI-based coating and the different MA conditions
did not extend the shelf-life of ‘Blanca de Tudela’ artichoke. These
results contrast with the color analysis, which showed the passive
modified atmosphere (MA-P) as having low a* and high L* values at
the end of the storage (Fig. 6). These differences could be attributed
to the heterogeneous surface of artichokes slices.