Elucidation of microflora associated with fruits and vegetables during postharvest stage and its application for quality evaluation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H02320
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41040:Agricultural environmental engineering and agricultural information engineering-related
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Hamanaka Daisuke 鹿児島大学, 農水産獣医学域農学系, 准教授 (60399095)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 農産物の保存 / 食の安全 / 品質保持 / 微生物群集 / 殺菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The dynamics of bacterial communities, including those of viable but non-culturable bacteria, co-existing in agricultural products during storage were examined. Changes in the quality and freshness of the produce and expression analysis of related genes were also examined, as well as damage to the physically stressed microorganisms and their growth characteristics after recovery. It was revealed that the genera and species of bacterial communities varied greatly even when the number of viable bacteria detected in the medium was the similar, depending on the storage environment of the produce. Furthermore, the recovery of microbial damage caused by physical stress was influenced by the presence of surfactants. Various polymer groups caused by such damage could be measured by near-infrared spectroscopy, suggesting the possibility of a simple and rapid understanding of the state of damage to microorganisms.

Free Research Field

ポストハーベスト工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食品の保存性や微生物学的な安全性の精確な把握は、食の安全の確保ならびに食品ロスの低減にも大きく貢献するものである。本研究では、培地を用いた評価が困難な微生物群を含む全ての微生物を対象として、農産物の保存や流通中に遭遇すると予測される環境条件での精確な動態把握を試みたものである。これに加えて、ストレスを受けた場合に生じる損傷状態について、その増殖特徴について迅速な評価を試み、その可能性を示すことができた。これらの成果は、農産物の微生物学的安全性の精確な評価に加えて、保存性、すなわち市場商品価値の正確な把握において重要な基礎データとなることが期待できる。