# Processing Fresh-Cut Potatoes Using Non-Thermal Technologies and Edible Coatings
## 1 Introduction  
Ready-to-cook and ready-to-use food products are currently gaining popularity due to the busy lifestyle of consumers and the demand of catering enterprises for less perishable food [1]. Within this trend, minimally processed foods--foods that are lightly altered to maintain freshness without undergoing extensive processing--have emerged as a focal point, with fresh-cut fruits and vegetables gaining significant prominence. Potatoes are among the most widely consumed vegetables globally, with the total harvested area worldwide being 17,788,408 hectares and production reaching 375 million tons (Mt) in 2022 according to the FAO. Major producers include China (95.5 Mt), India (56 Mt), and the USA (17.8 Mt), with the highest production volumes being achieved in Asia (203.3 Mt) and Europe (98.1 Mt). Potatoes (_Solanum tubersum_ L.) have been a fundamental source of human nutrition for centuries and stand as the most crucial food crop [2]. Fully mature potatoes contain around 80% water, 12% starch, and 2% proteins [3]. Therefore, the dry matter mainly consists of starch, with a smaller amount of vitamins. The year-round availability of potatoes makes them an attractive crop for both fresh market sales and processing. Their versatility allows for consumption in various forms and diverse processing methods,including dehydration, freezing, and minimal processing, yielding an array of final products [4]. Fresh-cut potatoes, a form of minimally processed potatoes, have gained popularity as convenient products, significantly reducing the time needed for meal preparation in both households and restaurants. The heightened demand for fresh-cut potatoes is a response to the accelerated lifestyle prevalent in today's world. However, like other fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, fresh-cut potatoes face the challenge of being convenient yet highly perishable products [5]. The production process of fresh-cut potatoes is a complex interplay of various factors that significantly influence both processing and shelf life, with cultivar selection playing a crucial role. Different potato varieties, like Spunta in Greece [6; 7], Alpha, Chica, and Gallo in Mexico, Marabel and Primura in Italy, Caesar in France, Karlena and Saturna in Germany [8], Netherlands 15 in China [9], Agria in Iran [10], Russet Burbank in USA, Birgit in Croatia [11], and Maris Piper and Rooster in Ireland [12], bring unique characteristics to fresh-cut processing. Predominantly, potato varieties encompass a wide range of characteristics, including color, flesh type, and maturation times (mid-early, mid-late, and late). Different potato varieties exhibit unique morphological and chemical characteristics, which impact their suitability for various processing methods and their resistance to spoilage. For example, high-starch cultivars, such as Russet Burbank, are typically used for frying due to their texture but are more susceptible to enzymatic browning after cutting, linked to higher levels of starch and sugars, which can shorten shelf life [13]. Additionally, smooth-skinned varieties are generally easier to peel, which can reduce surface damage, while peel and cell structure differences influence resistance to microbial growth during storage. Cultivar selection, therefore, plays a key role in optimizing the quality, appearance, and durability of fresh-cut potato products. Additionally, the systematic variation in cutting shapes, ranging from slices of 1.5 to 5 mm thickness [14], tubes of 1.2 cm side length, disks [15], and cylinders with a diameter of 1 cm and a length of 1.5 cm [16] to slabs with dimensions like 4 \(\times\) 4 \(\times\) 0.7 cm [17], allows for a comprehensive understanding of how different potato varieties respond to distinct processing techniques. This aids in identifying optimal choices for specific end products and contributes to the ongoing refinement of fresh-cut potato processing methods to preserve quality and extend shelf life effectively.