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T2-02 Development of a Graphical-user Interface to Optimize the Temperature for the Supply Chain of Leafy Greens Using Nonlinear Programming

Sunday, July 26, 2015: 8:45 AM
C125 - C126 (Oregon Convention Center)
Abhinav Mishra , University of Maryland , College Park , MD
Elisabetta Lambertini , University of Maryland , College Park , MD
Abani Pradhan , Center for Food Safety and Security System , College Park , MD
Audio File Recorded Presentation
Introduction: Consumption of fresh and fresh-cut leafy green vegetables in the United States has increased by about 27% in the last 30 years. However, leafy green are highly susceptible to microbial contamination because they are minimally processed and consumed raw. Pathogenic bacteria of concern include Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes. Leafy greens are a perishable commodity, with a postharvest shelf life limited to one week. 

Purpose: This study aimed to optimize the maximum temperature of leafy greens during supply chain taking into account cost of refrigeration, sensory quality parameters (fresh appearance, wilting, browning, and off-odor), and microbial safety of leafy greens using nonlinear programming (NLP). 

Methods: The coefficient of performance (COP) was used to determine the cooling costs of refrigeration. The loss of sensory quality parameters (for fresh-cut iceberg and Romaine lettuce and fresh-cut chicory) was expressed using Arrhenius equation, and pathogen growth was represented by a three-phase linear (primary) and square-root (secondary) models. The objective function representing cost was minimized. The nonlinear constraints were growth of pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and L. monocytogenes), and loss of sensory characteristics. An interactive graphical user interface, ‘SHELF’ was developed in the MATLAB (MathWorks, ver. 2013b) software.

Results: For a desired shelf life of 2-3 days, pathogen growth poses a higher concern than loss of sensory quality. However, for longer shelf times it is difficult to maintain sensory qualities. The results vary for different leafy greens. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella do not grow at lower temperature, whereas L. monocytogenes is capable of growing at refrigerated temperatures. Browning poses the worst concern for iceberg and Romaine lettuce, whereas off-odor is the biggest concern for fresh-cut chicory.

Significance: The results can inform decisions on the maximum refrigeration temperature for leafy greens along the supply chain.

Back to: Technical Session 2 – Modeling and Risk Assessment
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