Effects of ethanol treatment on inhibiting fresh-cut sugarcane enzymatic browning and microbial growth

•Ethanol treatment inhibited fresh-cut sugarcane enzymatic browning.•Ethanol suppressed the microbial growth.•Ethanol decreased total phenol, quinine contents and reduced weight loss.•Ethanol delayed the firmness deterioration.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ethanol on the physicochemical properties and microbial quality of fresh-cut sugarcane. Ethanol (300 mL/L) treatment resulted in the lowest weight loss, electric conductivity, and browning and the best quality attributes in fresh-cut sugarcane. It also significantly reduced the activities of polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and peroxidase and decreased total phenols and quinines contents. The total bacterial count and yeast mold count showed that there was significant suppress of microbial spoilage in fresh-cut sugarcane with ethanol treatment. Ethanol treatment increased the CO2 production and decreased O2 level inside the package environment compared to treatments that combined ethanol (300 mL/L) and ascorbic acid (10 g/L) as well as the control (distilled water). Ethanol was the most efficient approach to inhibiting enzymatic browning and controlling microbial growth on fresh-cut sugarcane.