The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of fresh-cut lettuce after a washing treatment with aqueous thyme extracts of differing concentration. Four different concentrations of thyme extract were employed: 0.001% (w/v, TEA), 0.005% (w/v, TEB), 0.01% (w/v, TEC), 0.05% (w/v, TED), while distilled water was used as a control. Measurements of O2 concentration, CO2 concentration, total aerobic bacteria, CIE L*, a*, b*, browning index, total phenolic contents and enzymatic activities were investigated on day 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 at 10 . The O2 concentration in TEB were higher than those in other samples during storage, and the CO2 concentration in TEB and TEC were significantly lower than in other samples on day 7. There was no significant difference in the total aerobic bacteria counts between treatments (p<0.05). The samples treated with TEB and TEC showed higher L* (lightness) values, but lower browning indexes, total phenolic compound levels, and enzymatic activities (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase) than other samples during storage. Specifically, on day 7, the browning index of Cont reached 0.25, while those in the TEB and TEC were about 0.15. The L* in Cont decreased from 69.50 to 58.92, while TEB and TEC were values of 65.61 and 63.20, respectively. These results reveal that 0.005-0.01% thyme extract was effective as a washing treatment inhibited the browning of fresh-cut lettuce and is thus expected to be a useful natural extract for maintaining the quality of fresh-cut lettuce.

To examine the utilization possibility of defective coffee beans, non-defective and defective coffee bean were compared by means of its physiochemical properties and antioxidant capacities measured by DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAP assay, total phenol contents, functional component (trigonelline, caffeine, chlorogenic acid) contents. After roasting process, pH and soluble solid contents of coffee extracts decreased; L* value decreased while a* and b* values increased. DPPH radical scavenging activities of defective green bean extracts were higher than that of non-defective green bean extracts. Immature green bean extract showed the highest radical scavenging activity. In FRAP assay, green bean extracts ranged from 15.28~21.80 mM TE which was higher than roasted bean extracts which showed 14.81~16.38 mM TE. Total phenol contents of green bean extracts ranged 191.06~256.25 mg% GAE which was higher than that of roasted bean extracts showed 161.91~173.44 mg% GAE. The contents of trigonelline, caffeine, chlorogenic acid in immature green bean extract were the highest, which showed 895.20 mg/L, 825.85 mg/L and 3,836.94 mg/L respectively. Each contents were decreased after roasting process. Results of this study suggest that defective coffee bean can be used as a functional food material.