Effect of heat treatment on physiochemical,colour, antioxidant and microstructural characteristics of apples during storage

Changes in qualities of ‘Red Fuji’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ apples in response to different heat treatments (45 and 60 °C) following cold storage were investigated. Quality indices including firmness, titratable acidity, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, colour parameters and microstructure were measured. Results indicated heat treatment at both temperatures for 3‐h hastened loss of titratable acidity in ‘Red Fuji’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, but maintained firmness in both cultivars. However, heat treatment at lower temperature (45 °C) best maintained total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity in ‘Red Fuji’ apples throughout storage, whereas there was no difference between heat treatments in ‘Golden Delicious’ apples. Examination by scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that the effect of heat treatment at different temperatures on ‘Red Fuji’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ apples was structurally different. Apple tissue that had been heat treated at elevated temperature (60 °C) for 3 h was associated with fractured cell walls and collapse of cells.     

Changes in Apple Polyphenoloxidase and Polyphenol Concentrations in Relation to Degree of Browning

Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity and polyphenol concentrations decreased during maturation and remained relatively constant during cold storage. However, there was no set pattern of changes in degree of browning during maturation and cold storage. Not all cultivars showed the same relationship between degree of browning and enzyme activity. In some cultivars (Classic Delicious, RI Greening, McIntosh and Cortland), PPO activity was directly related to degree of browning while in others (Empire, Rome and Golden Delicious), degree of browning was related more to phenolic concentration. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of the phenolics in apples showed that the types of phenolic compounds in all cultivars were similar and that no one particular compound could account for the differences observed in browning.     

Effects of dehydration temperatures on colour and polyphenoloxidase activity of Amasya and Golden Delicious apple cultivars

During dehydration at different temperatures (60, 70 and 80 °C) of Amasya and Golden Delicious apple cultivars, changes in colour, polyphenoloxidase activity (PPO), browning index and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content were studied. Effects of dehydration time on the L* values of both cultivars were not significant. Only Amasya samples dehydrated at 80 °C were found to have significantly higher L* values than the remaining samples. In all cases, Golden Delicious samples had higher L* values than those of the Amasya cultivar. a* values of samples increased within the first hour of dehydration and then remained almost unchanged. The enzyme activity showed a rapid decrease in the first hour of dehydration and residual enzyme activities (%) reached 9.8%, 5.3% and 4.5% for Amasya, and 17.4%, 10.3% and 4.6% for the Golden Delicious cultivar at 60, 70 and 80 °C, respectively. In all final samples the residual enzyme activities were around 1%. The highest browning values were observed at the second hour of dehydration at 60 and 70 °C and the first hour of dehydration at 80 °C. In all conditions Amasya apples had a higher browning tendency. The presence of HMF was detected only at the 4th hour of dehydration at 80 °C for both cultivars. Effects of dehydration temperature on colour and PPO of the final product were insignificant. However, an important effect of temperature was determined on the browning index of Golden Delicious samples. The lowest browning tendency was measured on samples dehydrated at 80 °C. The results showed that cultivar and dehydration temperature had considerable effect on the browning of apple slices. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

POLYPHENOLOXIDASE ACTIVITY OF MINIMALLY PROCESSED 'JONAGORED' APPLES (MALUS DOMESTICA)

The influence of three chemical dips using ascorbic acid (AA), citric acid (CA) and calcium chloride (CC) on the polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity and on the total phenolic content of minimally processed (MP) apple (Malus domestica, cv. Jonagored) during cold storage was evaluated and a potential relationship with enzymatic browning was investigated. An ascorbic acid dip (42.6 mM) of 5 min duration was the most efficient chemical treatment in reducing the PPO activity of apple cubes. A 92% inhibition was achieved after 7 days of storage at 4C. All treatments were advantageous in comparison to the control in reducing color changes. Color changes, determined by absorbance at 420 nm (soluble pigments) and lightness (L) (insoluble pigments) of apple cubes treated with ascorbic acid were correlated with total phenolic content. No correlation was observed between PPO activity and tristimulus color parameters, browning index or total phenolic content of AA‐treated apple cubes.     

Effect of basil leaves and wheat bran water extracts on enzymatic browning of shredded storage iceberg lettuce

The impact of functional solutions (water infusions of radish sprouts, wheat bran (WBE), basil leaves (BLE) and lentil protein hydrolysate) on enzymatic browning of shredded iceberg lettuce was studied. BLE and WBE, limiting enzymatic browning in the highest degree, were tested during cold storage. The best inhibitors of PPO activity in lettuce stored for 8 days were 10% WBE (a decrease by 97%). POD activity was substantially decreased by ascorbic acid (by 75%) and 1% BLE (by 83%). POD and PPO inhibition was reflected in a decrease in enzymatic browning, that is 91% and 88% reduction was found in 8-day stored lettuce treated with 1% BLE and 1% WBE, respectively. In the case of POD, mixed inhibition was recorded for BLE and WBE, while these solutions acted as competitive inhibitors of PPO activity. The enzymatic browning of shredded iceberg lettuce during cold storage may be effectively suppressed by natural extracts.     

Pre-drying treatment of plant related tissues using plasma processed air: Impact on enzyme activity and quality attributes of cut apple and potato

During post-harvest processing of fresh cut and dried fruits and vegetables, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) need to be inactivated or inhibited in order to avoid undesirable browning reactions and loss of sensorial or nutritional quality. To meet this goal, the application of plasma processed air (PPA) offers a promising “gentle” alternative to traditional methods, such as pasteurization or the addition of anti-browning compounds. Using ambient air as process gas instead of an expensive noble gas, such as argon, exhibits a substantial improvement for the development of large-scale plasmas at ambient pressure and allows the indirect treatment of larger goods within a remote exposure reactor. In this study the ability of PPA to inactivate PPO and POD in complex food matrices and its impact on quality parameters, such as color, texture and cell integrity directly after freshly cutting and during storage of warm air dried and freeze dried produce was evaluated.The study evidently shows that PPA processing is capable of reducing the activity of PPO and POD in the freshly cut tissue from both apple and potato. Following exposure to PPA for 10 min the PPO activity was reduced by about 62% and 77% in fresh cut apple and potato tissue, respectively. POD, as the more temperature-stable enzyme, was even less stable upon PPA treatment for 10 min and was reduced by about 65% and 89% in fresh cut apple and potato tissue, respectively. Blackening of the potato tissue could be completely prevented by plasma treatment while a browning different from the habitual nature of enzymatic browning occurred upon exposure of the apple tissue to PPA. In both cases, the pH value on the tissue surface dropped to 1.5 while cell integrity and dry matter content were not significantly affected.Industrial relevanceThe quality and shelf life of freshly cut and dried fruits and vegetables greatly depend on the activity of naturally occurring enzymes which catalyze browning reactions at cut surfaces. This study shows that the application of PPA, as a promising nonthermal “pasteurization” technology, enables the inactivation of PPO and POD in complex food matrices. It further describes the impact of the PPA treatment on quality parameters of the freshly cut tissue from apple and potato and goes beyond on evaluating color, texture and enzyme activity in warm air dried and freeze dried tissue over a storage time of three weeks. The results contribute to the understanding and product-specificity of PPA-induced effects on quality and shelf life of fresh cut and dried fruit and vegetable produce and could be a basis for a possible industrial implementation.     

Apple Cultivar Variations in Response to Heat Treatment and Minimal Processing

Eleven apple cultivars were subjected to heat treatments at various times and temperatures. Susceptibility to browning during heat treatment and after heat treatment was evaluated. Changes in firmness, respiration rate, soluble solids and acidity of slices prepared with heat treated apples were measured. Incidence of browning was dependent upon cultivar and heating temperature; Liberty, Monroe, RI Greening and Rome were very susceptive, while McIntosh, NY 674 and Empire were less susceptive. Golden Delicious and Delicious showed relative strong tolerance to heat. Apples that received heat treatment at 45°C produced slices with less browning and firmer texture compared to non-treated apples. The positive effect of heat treatment might help produce high quality minimum processed fruits.     

Synergistic effect of high-intensity ultrasound and β-cyclodextrin treatments on browning control in apple juice

This work evaluated the synergistic effects of combined high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) treatments on inhibiting browning of apple juice and explored the mechanism through simulation system. The combined treatment of 300 W HIU with 0.006 g mL⁻¹ β-CD had a synergistic impact on maintaining juice colour, resulting in a 39.06% reduction in browning degree, only a 36.64% decrease in total phenolic content, and a 17.82% reduction in PPO activity. The inhibition of enzymatic browning in simulated system revealed that HIU suppressed the enzyme (Polyphenol oxidase, PPO) and β-CD inhibited enzyme (PPO) and embedded substrate (polyphenol). The results of spectroscopic analysis showed that the particle-size distribution of PPO narrowed, the content of α-helix in the secondary structure increased, the fluorescence intensity increased, and the maximum wavelength was red-shifted after HIU and β-CD treatment. Changes in structure could further result in PPO activity loss. Hence, the combined treatment could synthetically alleviate the browning of apple juice.     

Atmospheric cold plasma effect on quality attributes of banana slices: Its potential use in blanching process

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), responsible for enzymatic browning, cause technological and also financial losses for producers. Through central composite design, the effects of time duration and voltage magnitude using cold atmospheric plasma (CP) were investigated on enzyme activity of banana slices. During CP treatment, PPO and POD activity decreased 70% and 100%, respectively. Total phenol and flavonoid content of the samples increased, particularly as a result of exposure time; which contributed to more than 50% increment in antioxidant activity. Optimum conditions for CP treatment was obtained at voltage 6.9 kV for 46 s. Vitamin B6 content was higher for optimal sample than untreated one and reached 0.8 μg/100 g. Slight decrease in hardness of treated sample was obtained which was in accordance with porous structure obtained through morphology testing. Considering efficient effect on enzyme inactivation and mild effect on physico-chemical properties, CP can be a promising non-thermal process for fresh fruits blanching.     

Carrot browning on simulated market shelf and during cold storage

Browning index, degree of browning, total phenolics content and polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity of three carrot cultivars—Kendo, Ricardo and Stefano—were studied on a simulated market shelf (20 °C) and during cold storage (4 °C). There was a general increase in browning indices and degree of browning during simulated marketing storage for all three cultivars. The three cultivars had similar levels of browning after cold storage but Ricardo reached the highest level after 10 days of simulated shelf life. There appeared to be a rapid increase in total phenolics content during cold storage, which increased further during a simulated marketing trial. The PPO activities of Kendo and Stefano decreased during cold storage whereas that of Ricardo increased, reaching its highest level after 2 months in cold storage. A positive and significant correlation between total phenolics and degree of browning was found for all three cultivars stored for different lengths of time. This research suggests that shorter periods of cold storage reduce the potential for carrot browning and hence prolong the shelf life of carrots. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Polyphenoloxidase activity and total phenolic content as related to browning of minimally processed ‘Jonagored’ apple

Phenolic content, polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity and browning have been reported by different authors to vary in different ways, depending on cultivar, picking maturity, storage conditions, etc. Numerous authors have attempted to correlate browning results with the phenolic content and/or enzymatic activity of apples, but data published in the literature are divergent as to which of the two factors, ie the enzyme or the substrate, plays the decisive role in the overall phenomenon of enzymatic browning. The aim of this work was to follow the PPO activity and phenolic content of minimally processed apple (cv ‘Jonagored’) during cold storage and to establish a potential relationship with enzymatic browning. Increasing storage time of minimally processed apple seemed to result in an increase in PPO activity. No changes (P > 0.05) in total phenolic content were observed during storage. Colour degradation of apple cubes, as indicated by changes in colour parameters, was found to be highly correlated with PPO activity. Browning of ‘Jonagored’ apple cubes during storage was found to be moderately correlated with PPO activity. No correlation was found between the browning index and the total phenolic content. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of Dipping Pre-treatment with Unripe Grape Juice on Dried “Golden Delicious” Apple Slices

The consumption of apple chips is increasing in the last decades because of the consumer’s preferences towards healthy snacks. However, the enzymatic browning, which is attributed mainly to polyphenol oxidase (PPO, EC 1.10.3.1) activity, negatively affects the sensory, nutritional, and antioxidant properties of dried apples as a consequence of the oxidation of phenolic substrates during post-harvest stages. The antibrowning and antioxidant effects of dipping pre-treatments with unripe grape juice as well as reference formulations including a mixture of 1% w/v ascorbic acid and 1% w/v citric acid, 6% w/v NatureSeal®, and 0.1% w/v sodium metabisulfite were evaluated by spectrophotometric and colorimetric assays on dried “Golden Delicious” apple slices. Based on HPLC analysis, the treated apple slices were enriched with bioactive compounds which effectively improved antioxidant capacity and limited enzymatic browning by increasing lightness, reducing color change, and inhibiting PPO activity. Hence, the juice of unripe grapes recovered as agricultural wastes during bunch thinning of vineyards could be proposed as a safe, inexpensive, and eco-friendly alternative to conventional antibrowning treatments in apple processing.     

The effectiveness of ozone and acidulant treatments in extending the refrigerated shelf life of fresh-cut potatoes

Abstract: The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of acidulant dip treatments (with or without aqueous ozone) to reduce enzymatic browning and to extend the shelf life of fresh‐cut potato slices during refrigerated storage (4 °C) for 28 d. Potato slices subjected to aqueous ozone (2 ppm) had significantly (P≤ 0.05) higher L‐values and lower a‐values, but ozone did not appear to have any effect on aerobic plate counts (APCs) or polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. NatureSeal (NS) and sodium acid sulfate (SAS) were the most effective acidulant treatments in reducing browning (significantly [P≤ 0.05] higher L‐values, lower a‐values, and browning index values) regardless of ozone treatment. NS and SAS also had lower PPO activity compared to other treatments on days 0 and 28, and significantly (P≤ 0.05) lower APCs (≤2.00 log CFU/g) over refrigerated storage. Therefore, the SAS treatment was comparable to NS, a commercially available product, and showed promise as an effective antibrowning dip to reduce browning and spoilage in fresh‐cut potato products. Practical Application: A 1% SAS dip treatment which included 1% citric and 1% ascorbic acid was found to be an effective antibrowning dip for fresh‐cut potatoes along with NatureSeal®'s PS‐10, compared to other treatments. They were both effective in maintaining low microbial counts over refrigerated storage. Additionally, aqueous ozone washes (2 ppm) showed significant benefits to reduce browning; however, ozone did not affect microbial counts or PPO enzyme activity. Therefore, the SAS treatment could have potential use in the fruit and vegetable industry to reduce browning and spoilage in fresh‐cut potato products.     

Mechanism for the inhibition of apple juice enzymatic browning by Palo Fierro (desert ironweed) honey extract and other natural compounds

Inhibition of Red Delicious apple juice browning and apple polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity by four natural anti-browning agents [palo fierro honey extract (PFH), caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), l-cysteine (Cys), and 4-hexylresorcinol (4HR)] has been studied. Browning of apple juice was markedly reduced by 4HR, Cys, and PFH, however, little effect was observed with CAPE. PFH, CAPE, and 4HR showed high inhibition of apple juice PPO. When the inhibition mechanism of these compounds over partially purified apple PPO was studied using chlorogenic acid as substrate, PFH acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor of apple PPO, with K_i = αK = 0.8 g/L, and IC₅₀ ranging 1.1-1.7 g/L. Cys showed an inhibitory pattern which could not be fitted to any type of reversible inhibition (IC₅₀ 0.02-0.03 g/L), while CAPE showed low inhibitory activity, which could be due to co-precipitation processes. PFH could be considered as an effective natural compound to reduce apple juice browning.     

Dual effectiveness of sodium chlorite for enzymatic browning inhibition and microbial inactivation on fresh-cut apples

The dual effectiveness of sodium chlorite for browning inhibition and microbial inactivation on fresh-cut apples was investigated and compared to other anti-browning and antimicrobial agents. Results indicate that sodium chlorite significantly (P < 0.001) inhibited the browning reaction of fresh-cut Red Delicious apples stored at 5 °C for 14 days. This treatment also significantly reduced polyphenol oxidase activities. Treatments with acidified sodium chlorite, calcium chloride, or calcium ascorbate exhibited strong inhibition on apple browning during the early storage, these treatment effects diminished after 7 days in storage. Combining calcium chloride with sodium chlorite further significantly (P < 0.001) improved the firmness of apple slices, and browning inhibition during storage. Additionally, treatments with acidified sodium chlorite, sodium chlorite, or the combination of sodium chlorite and calcium chloride significantly (P < 0.001) reduced Escherichia coli populations on fresh-cut apples by 3.0, 3.6, and 3.9 log cfu g⁻¹ over the water control. The dual effectiveness of sodium chlorite to inhibit enzymatic browning and inactivate E. coli may allow this compound to achieve a prominent role in improving the quality and safety of products in the fresh-cut apple and other food industries.     

果蔬酶促褐变机理的研究进展

酶促褐变对果蔬在加工保鲜过程中的品质有重大影响，有关酶促褐变机理的相关研究也越来越多。本文整理归纳了国内外围绕褐变机理进行的多酚氧化酶和酚类底物的相关研究，包括对多酚氧化酶种类、催化位点、提取、分离、纯化、活性测定方法的介绍；酚类化合物种类、含量变化及其变化原因的阐述；酚类酶促氧化反应、醌的生成途径、次级代谢过程、氧化终产物特性以及抗褐变剂抑制酶促褐变机理的报道，以期为酶促褐变机理的系统深入研究提供借鉴与参考。     

Inhibitory effect of sericin on polyphenol oxidase and its application as edible coating

Sericin, a water‐soluble globular protein derived from silk industry wastewater, was investigated for food industrial applications. The results proved that sericin retarded polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. However, the degree of inhibition varied depending on the enzyme origins, the types of substrate, sericin content and sericin molecular size. Using catechol as a substrate, under the conditions studied, sericin lowered purified mushroom PPO and apple extract PPO activity by 40% and mango extract PPO by 75%. Kinetic studies on purified mushroom PPO indicated that the type of inhibition of sericin was dependent on the substrates used. Inhibitory effects of sericin increased as the sericin content increased. The reduction in sericin molecular size by enzymatic hydrolysis produced sericin hydrolysate with ability to decrease PPO activity approximately three times greater than that of sericin. Fresh‐cut Red Delicious apples coated with sericin showed significant reduction in weight loss and improvement in the colour and texture.     

Effect of integrated application of chitosan coating and modified atmosphere packaging on overall quality retention in litchi cultivars

BACKGROUND: The storage life of litchi is limited due to pericarp browning and decay. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) showed promising results for ensuring quality retention. However, to improve the efficiency of MAP the integrated treatment of a chitosan coating and MAP was investigated. RESULTS: The effect of chitosan (1.0 g L⁻¹) + MAP was compared with MAP (control), and was effective in preventing decay, browning and retaining the pericarp colour in the cultivar McLean's Red. Chitosan (1.0 g L⁻¹) + MAP significantly reduced polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activity, retained membrane integrity, anthocyanin content and prevented the decline of pericarp colour values during storage. The POD activity was greater than the PPO activity in the cultivars McLean's Red and Mauritius. The two cultivars differed in anthocyanin content and the activity of oxidation enzymes. The gas compositions within the packages were compared between chitosan at 1.0 g L⁻¹ and 20.0 g L⁻¹ concentration for both cultivars. Chitosan (20.0 g L⁻¹) + MAP lowered the respiration during storage in both cultivars compared to 1.0 g L⁻¹ + MAP. CONCLUSION: The McLean's Red cultivar is better suited for chitosan (1.0 g L⁻¹) + MAP integrated treatment than is Mauritius in retaining overall quality. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

CHANGES IN 'DELICIOUS' APPLE BROWNING AND SOFTENING DURING CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE

High CO₂ conditions offered no advantage over normal CA storage in terms of reduced ‘Delicious’ apple browning or softening during a 28 week storage period. After approximately 7–14 weeks in CA storage, ‘Delicious’ apples showed significant losses in PPO activity, browning tendency and firmness. Electrolyte leakage reached a maximum at 11.5 weeks and declined, while total phenolics remained fairly constant. The changes observed may indicate a loss in membrane integrity and decompartmentalization after 7–14 weeks of storage, which may in turn allow for increased enzymatic browning. Polygalacturonase activity was only detectable at harvest. Holding apples for additional time in air following removal from CA storage appears to accelerate changes in these characteristics.     

EFFECT OF SUGARS AND MAILLARD REACTION PRODUCTS ON POLYPHENOL OXIDASE AND PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY IN FOOD

The effect of glucose, fructose and sucrose aqueous solutions on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activity was studied. Solutions with high concentrations of sugars showed a slight inhibiting effect on PPO while an activation was observed for POD. Glucose solutions, tested after sufficient heat treatments, showed an inhibiting action only on PPO activity. Maillard reaction products, obtained by heating a glucose/glycine solution, caused an unexpectedly strong inhibiting effect on both enzymes. The inhibition became more evident with increasing heating times of the glucose/glycine solution, reducing the activity of PPO and POD nearly to zero. Thus, the Maillard reaction products, already known for their antioxidant properties, were also shown to have a strong inhibiting effect on enzymatic browning.