Alleviation of chilling injury in postharvest tomato fruit by preconditioning with ultraviolet irradiation

BACKGROUND: Tomato fruit is usually stored at low temperatures for delayed ripening and extended shelf life. However, tomato fruit is susceptible to chilling injury when exposed to low temperatures. In this study, the potential effects of preconditioning with UV‐C or UV‐B irradiation on chilling injury of postharvest tomato fruit were investigated. RESULTS: Mature–green tomato fruit were exposed to 4 kJ m^?2 UV‐C or 20 kJ m^?2 UV‐B irradiation and stored for 20 days at 2 °C and subsequently 10 days at 20 °C. UV irradiation was effective in reducing chilling injury index and delaying ethylene peak. Furthermore, UV irradiation preserved storage quality as manifested by reduced weight loss, better retention of firmness, and higher contents of total soluble solids, soluble protein and soluble sugar during subsequent storage at 20 °C. UV‐C irradiation significantly delayed the development of the red colour after 10 days of storage at 20 °C. On the other hand, UV irradiation decreased total phenolics content and antioxidant capacity, suggesting possibly reduced stress response to low temperature resulted from enhanced physiological adaptation by UV preconditioning. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that preconditioning with UV‐C or UV‐B irradiation in appropriate doses had a positive effect on alleviating chilling injury in postharvest tomato fruit. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

间歇升温对香蕉李贮藏中生理生化变化的影响

以香蕉李为试材,研究了不同的间歇升温对低温下贮藏的李果实生理生化的影响。结果显示:对照果在冷藏20d时,呼吸强度和乙烯释放量逐渐增加,相对电导率明显上升;说明冷害已经开始启动,而且随着贮藏时间的延长,冷害指数显著增大,冷害程度明显加剧,果实正常后熟过程受阻。经过间歇升温的果实,果皮逐渐由绿变黄,再由黄转红而逐渐完成后熟过程。间歇升温到10℃虽然对冷害症状有所缓解,但李果实更易成熟老化,可溶性固形物含量快速下降,呼吸强度明显高于冷害果,膜透性增加最快,贮藏后期老化的果实更易发生冷害。而间歇升温到18℃的李果实呼吸强度、膜透性、贮藏初期的乙烯释放量明显受到抑制,可溶性固形物含量较高,冷害指数显著下降,说明间歇升温到18℃能有效地抑制李果实冷害的发生,延缓了李果实的衰老进程,保持了李果实良好的贮藏品质。     

不同成熟度灵武长枣食用及营养品质研究

本文研究了不同成熟度(白绿、微红、大半红、全红)灵武长枣成熟过程中果实的食用及营养品质的变化规律,以明确其营养特点,并为其适时采收提供科学依据。结果表明:(1)在成熟过程中,灵武长枣中环磷酸腺苷含量与蔗糖含量呈极显著正关(p0.01),葡萄糖含量与柠檬酸含量呈极显著正相关(p0.01),奎宁酸含量与草酸含量呈显著负相关(p0.05);(2)成熟(全红)的灵武长枣的糖酸比达到104.59,且其奎宁酸含量较高,达0.26%,是鲜枣风味形成的重要物质;(3)成熟(全红)灵武长枣中除还含有大量粗纤维(8.26%)和环核苷酸等营养物质外,K元素含量高达9.90 mg/g,表明灵武长枣是一种富钾鲜枣果;(4)全红灵武长枣达到最佳口感,其食用品质和营养品质俱佳,而大半红时期的灵武长枣食用及营养品质接近全红期,故该时期可作为鲜果保存的最适采收时期。     

Changes in the individual sugars of tomato fruit during ripening

Changes in the concentrations of the individual sugars of the walls and locular contents of tomato fruit during ripening have been studied. The major sugars were glucose and fructose together with much smaller amounts of sucrose and myoinositol. During the initial stages of development the fruit contained approximately twice as much glucose as fructose, but with approaching maturity and the onset of ripening the glucose/fructose ratio declined to less than unity. On a per fruit basis the distribution of the major sugars between the walls and locular contents was about 3 : 1 at the green stage, falling to 2 : 1 as the fruit ripened. Total reducing sugars (% fresh weight or per fruit) increased markedly between the mature green and green-yellow stages with a tendency to decrease with subsequent ripening. These changes were predominantly influenced by changes in fructose content, with glucose changing little. The concentrations of sucrose and myoinositol, both less than 0.05% fresh weight, declined with ripening. The green areas of the outer walls of “blotchy” fruit contained much less glucose and fructose than did the walls of normal mature green fruit, while the red areas contained amounts similar to those encountered in normally ripened red fruit.     

Maturity‐related chilling tolerance in mango fruit and the antioxidant capacity involved

BACKGROUND: In order to evaluate how effect of mature stage on the chilling tolerance of mangoes (Mangifera indica L. cv. ‘Zihua’) and the mechanism involved, the fruit were categorized into three stages of ripeness: Green (100% green fruit), Preyellow (10–20% yellow fruit) and Yellow (45–55% yellow fruit) after harvest and stored at 2 °C for 12 days and then incubated at 25 °C for 2 days for chilling injury (CI) development. RESULTS: CI index in Preyellow and Yellow fruit was significantly lower than that of the Green fruit, as a rapid increase in ion leakage was observed in the Green fruit. Activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase of Preyellow and Yellow fruit were higher than those of the Green from day 6 to day 12 during cold storage. A lower content of malondialdehyde but higher levels of glutathione and ascorbic acid were maintained in Preyellow and Yellow fruit than that in Green fruit. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that stronger resistance of Preyellow and Yellow mangoes to CI compared to Green fruit was due to their higher antioxidant capacity involved in the tolerance to chilling temperature. Alleviating CI in mangoes during storage may be achieved by storing the fruit when skin colour is beginning to change to yellow from green. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Changes in free and protein-bound amino acids in elderberry fruit (Sambucus nigra) during maturation

Elderberry fruit was analysed for free and protein-bound amino acids during ripening and senescence. Maturation was characterised by an appreciable decrease in the total amino acid content, free and bound, and an increase of the total free amino acid concentration. The latter was mainly due to the massive rise of leucine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine which occurred during the late stages in the ripening process. These three amino acids accounted for 68 % of the total free amino acid content in ripe fruit vs 9% in the green fruit. The transition from optimal ripeness to senescence was associated with a slight increase of the total protein-bound and free amino acid contents. Assessment of the nutritional value of elderberry protein by comparison to whole egg revealed a chemical score of 0.94 for the total essential amino acids, indicating elderberry to be a good source of high biological value protein and thus a suitable source of raw material for a variety of food and dietary products.     

Changes in the non-volatile organic acids of tomato fruit during ripening

A study has been made of the individual non-volatile organic acids in ethanolic extracts of tomato fruit during ripening. Whole fruit of three varieties and the outer walls and locular contents of one variety each at five stages of ripeness from mature green to full red were analysed. No trace of many of the K rebs-cycle acids could be detected. Maximum citric acid concentrations were found at either the green-yellow or yellow-orange stage of ripeness according to variety. Malic acid concentrations and the malic/citric acid ratio decreased progressively as the fruit ripened. Glutamic acid increased approximately ten-fold and aspartic acid more than doubled from the mature green to red stage of ripeness, but changes in pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid (PCA) during ripening were not statistically significant. In general, similar trends were observed in whole fruit and in the outer walls and locular contents, but malic, citric, glutamic and aspartic acid concentrations were higher in the locular contents than in the outer walls at all stages of ripeness. Alcohol-insoluble solids (AIS) decreased markedly between the green and green-yellow stages and then more slowly with further ripening.     

Ripening Associated Phytochemical Changes in Mangos (Mangifera indica) Following Thermal Quarantine and Low-Temperature Storage

ABSTRACT: Fresh mangos entering the United States must be subjected to a thermal quarantine treatment to eliminate invasive pests, commonly followed by cold storage to extend shelf-life. Changes in phytochemicals and their resultant antioxidant capacity after such treatments are unknown. These studies evaluated mature, green mangos subjected to a simulated quarantine treatment using hot water immersion at 50°C for 60 min and subsequent storage at 5°C and 20°C against their respective controls. Fruit held at 5°C were transferred to 20°C after 8 d of storage to complete ripening, whereby symptoms of chill injury were observed. Phytochemical, antioxidant capacity, and quality parameters were then assessed every 4 d as the fruit ripened over the next 20 d. Storage temperature during ripening and not the hot water treatment was the major factor contributing to changes in polyphenolic content, with antioxidant capacity unaffected by either postharvest treatments or ripening. Major polyphenolics identified were free gallic acid and 4 gallotannins that collectively increased in concentration by 34% as the fruit ripened, also independent of postharvest and storage treatments. Carotenoid concentrations were highest in hot water-treated fruit stored at 20°C, whereas storage at 5°C initially delayed ripening. Despite appreciable differences in fruit quality during quarantine treatment or low temperature storage, only minor differences in antioxidant phytochemicals were observed.     

果色和成熟度对樱桃番茄（Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme）果实挥发物分布的影响

为探究果色和成熟度对樱桃番茄果实挥发物的影响,用顶空固相微萃取-气相色谱-质谱联用法测定育种自交系材料金珠（橙）、黑樱桃1（紫）、1号（粉）、红珍珠（红）在绿熟期、转色期和红熟期的挥发物。分析发现,橙色番茄挥发物明显高于红色和粉色番茄。橙色番茄在绿熟期,紫色番茄在转色期和红熟期挥发物最高,而粉色番茄挥发物始终最低。气味强度由挥发物质量浓度和嗅觉阈值决定。3-甲基-丁醛、(E,E)-2,4-庚二烯醛、1-戊烯-3-酮、己醛、苯甲醛和(Z)-3-己烯-1-醇对番茄气味贡献较大。红色、橙色和紫色番茄分别在绿熟期、转色期和成熟期气味最浓。随着果实成熟,挥发物质量浓度持续增加,气味更加浓郁。果色和成熟度对挥发物有显著影响。     

CHILLING INJURY IN GREEN BANANA FRUIT: CHANGES IN PEROXIDASE ISOZYMES IN SOLUBLE AND PARTICULATE POOLS

Green banana fruit manifested severe chilling injury after 5–7 days storage at 5°C and 80% relative humidity. (Severe chilling injury is described here as a failure of the fruit to ripen on removal to conditions conducive to normal ripening.) The recoverable "wall bound" peroxidase fraction exhibited a sharp decline during this initial period of stress. Subsequent storage of severely chilled fruit at. 5°C resulted in a gradual increase in the "soluble" peroxidase pool and a rise in "wall bound" peroxidase to levels comparable to normal green fruit. After 30 days storage of fruit at 5°C the "soluble" and "wall bound" fractions of peroxidase peaked and declined rapidly in the latter pool. The increase in peroxidase of cold stressed fruit involved qualitative changes in isozyme species that differed from those isozymes which emerge during normal fruit ripening. It is suggested that the initial decrease in "wall bound" peroxidase results in a loss in capability of the tissue to adapt to low temperature stress. The belated increase in peroxidase activity may be associated with a typical "cold hardening" response which develops only after an irreversible or "plastic strain" damage has occurred     

Lipid Composition and Flavor Changes in Irradiated Mango (var. Alphonso)

Changes were studied in fatty acid composition of the pulp, aroma and flavor of gamma irradiated (0.25kGy) and control mature green Alphonso mangoes during ripening at 25–30°C. Ripening of both control and irradiated mangoes was accompanied by changes in glycerides as well as fatty acids. Oleic acid of pulp oil of irradiated mangoes decreased appreciably during ripening as compared with controls. Lin-oleic acid of pulp oil of unirradiated fruits decreased markedly on the 6th day of storage. With irradiated fruits linoleic acid remained unaffected up to the 12th day of storage. Linolenic acid content of pulp oil of irradiated fruit increased much more than that of unirradiated fruit during ripening. Gas chromatographic profiles of volatiles of control and irradiated mangoes showed no difference.     

EFFECT OF WAX APPLICATION ON THE QUALITY,LYCOPENE CONTENT AND CHILLING INJURY OF TOMATO FRUIT

ABSTRACT

Waxed and nonwaxed mature green tomato fruits were stored at 12C (nonchilled) or 5C (chilled) for 5, 10, 15 and 20 days before being transferred to 22C for 3, 6, 9 and 12 days, were evaluated for weight loss, chemical composition, skin color, chilling injury (CI) index and pigment content. Waxed fruits showed a delay in weight loss, color development and ripening. The sensitivity of tomato fruit to CI was reduced in waxed fruits, which showed a delay in the appearance of symptoms. A delay in chlorophyll degradation and lycopene synthesis was observed as a result of the use of wax and low temperature. Waxing of tomato fruits allowed their storage at temperatures below critical reducing CI sensitivity and maintaining quality giving more time for marketing.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Nowadays, local tomato producers use wax on fruits as an everyday practice to carry postharvest fungicides and to improve brightness. They store tomato fruits at nonchilling temperature (12C) because lower temperatures would cause chilling injury and irregular ripening. In this way, it is interesting that waxing tomato fruits allow reducing their storage temperature, protecting them from chilling injury and maintaining their quality and correct color change and ripening; thereby producers and sellers have more days to position their fruits with no extra cost.     

Metabolism of citric and malic acids during ripening of tomato fruit

Tomato fruit at various stages of ripeness were injected with ¹⁴C-labelled citric and malic acids. The ¹⁴CO₂ evolved by individual fruit was determined over a 72 h period and the fruit then analysed for the incorporation of ¹⁴C into sugars, amino acids and individual non-volatile organic acids. In mature green tomato fruit citric and malic acids were found to be metabolised to a comparable extent. Appreciable interconversion occurred together with oxidation to CO₂ and some labelling of glutamic acid and glutamine. In red fruit, citric acid was not as readily oxidised to CO₂ and little conversion to malic acid was observed. On the other hand, malic acid was oxidised to CO₂ and converted to citric acid as rapidly as in green fruit with, in addition, appreciable conversion to glutamic acid. These results are discussed in relation to the changes in concentration of the endogenous acids which take place during the ripening of tomato fruit.     

Increased ethylene biosynthesis elevates incidence of chilling injury in cold‐stored ‘Amber Jewel’ Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) during fruit ripening

Mature ‘Amber Jewel’ Japanese plum fruit were stored at 0 or 5 °C for 3 and 6 weeks to investigate their effects on ethylene (C₂H₄) biosynthesis during ripening at ambient temperature in the development of chilling injury (CI) and fruit quality. CI (internal breakdown and browning) and fruit softening were higher during ripening, in the fruit stored at 5 °C than 0 °C, irrespective of storage period (SP). C₂H₄ production and activities of 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) and 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO) enzymes, and 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid (ACC) content were higher during ripening in fruit stored at 5 °C than 0 °C. The fruit stored at 5 °C also exhibited higher respiration rate and higher soluble solids concentration/titratable acidity ratio. In conclusion, increase in storage temperature and SP elevates the activities of ACS and ACO enzymes and consequently C₂H₄ production which leads to the development of CI in plum fruit with advancement of ripening.     

The Effects of Harvest Maturity on Storage Quality and Sucrose-Metabolizing Enzymes During Banana Ripening

Mature green “Baxi” banana (Musa spp. AAA Group, Cavendish) fruits were harvested at 60% and 80% maturity stages. In order to evaluate the effects of harvesting at different maturity stages on storage quality and changes in sucrose-metabolizing enzymes, fruit firmness, disease index, contents of starch, and total soluble sugars were determined, and enzyme activities associated with sucrose metabolism was investigated under natural and accelerated (treated with ethylene) ripening conditions. In fruit treated with ethylene, changes in flesh firmness, total sugar content, starch content, disease index, and activity of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SS), acid invertase (AI), and neutral invertase (NI) were accelerated dramatically compared with untreated fruit with both 60% and 80% maturity. When fruit ripened under natural conditions, the changes in firmness, disease index, starch content, total sugar content, SPS activity, SS, AI, and NI activity in fruit with 80% maturity were significantly faster than those in fruit with 60% maturity. On the contrary, when fruit ripened under accelerated conditions, no significant differences in firmness, sugar, starch, disease index, SPS, SS, AI, and NI were observed between fruit harvested at 60% or 80% maturity. It is suggested that storage quality and sucrose-metabolizing enzymes of banana fruit stored under natural conditions are related to harvest maturity stage; storage quality of fruit with lower harvest maturity is better than fruit with higher maturity. However, when fruit ripening is accelerated by ethylene, the harvest maturity stage has no influence on storage quality and changes in sucrose-metabolizing enzymes.     

Composition, sensory quality and respiration during ripening and storage of edible wild mango (Irvingia gabonensis)

The effects of tree and room ripening and of storage at chill temperatures and at 26–29°C on the sensory quality, composition and respiration of edible wild mango fruits were investigated.
Fruits harvested at the mature green stage and ripened at 26–29°C were slightly preferred to tree-ripened fruits in colour and texture. Apart from a lower moisture content, room-ripened fruits were comparable in composition with tree-ripened fruits. During storage at 26–29°C, CO₂ production increased sharply from 22 ml kg^-1 h^-1 at the end of the first day, reaching a maximum of 91 ml kg^-1 on day 5 and declining thereafter; O₂ consumption followed a similar trend. The respiratory climacteric coincided with the onset of ripening. Fruits held at 12–15°C developed symptoms of chilling injury including pitting and black spots in mature green fruits, and brownish discoloration, pitting, surface scald, excessive softening and decay in ripe fruits.     

PROTEIN CONTENT AND AMINO ACID COMPOSITION OF PROTEIN OF SEEDS FROM TOMATOES AT VARIOUS STAGES OF RIPENESS

Tomato seeds represent a large portion of the waste generated during the processing of liquid tomato products. With mechanical harvest, green fruit also become waste. There was no significant change in either seed protein content or amino acid profile as tomatoes ripened from green mature fruit. Tomato seed protein contains approximately 13% more lysine than soy protein which would allow it to be used in fortifying low lysine foods. These results indicate that seeds from processed fruit, culls, and other waste fruit could be used as a source of protein.     

The non-volatile organic acids of the differently coloured areas of the walls of 'blotchy' ripened tomatoes

A comparative study has been made of the individual non-volatile organic acids in ethanolic extracts of the red and green areas of the walls of tomato fruit showing symptoms of ‘blotchy’ ripening. The titratable and total acidites of the green areas were lower, and the combined acidity higher than those of the red areas. Potassium concentrations in the differently coloured areas did not differ significantly. Concentrations of the dicarboxylic amino-acids, pyrrolidonecarboxylic, malic and citric acids in the green areas were all significantly lower than in the corresponding red areas. Citric acid concentrations were much lower and glutamic acid concentrations higher than those found previously in the walls of uniformly ripened fruit of similar colours. The malic/citric acid ratio in the green areas was approximately double that in the red areas. In both cases values were greater than those normally encountered in evenly ripening fruit. The proportions of the total acidity present as malic acid in the differently coloured areas was strikingly similar to that found in the walls of normally ripened fruit of the same colour and variety. On the other hand the proportion of citric acid was markedly reduced in the ‘blotchy’ fruit walls. It is suggested that low citric acid concentrations combined with the persistence of high polyphenol-oxidase activity may be conducive to ‘blotchy’ ripening of tomato fruit.     

The effect of three different ripening/storage conditions on the distribution of selected parameters in individual parts of Dutch‐type cheese

The aim of the study was (i) to detect changes of dry matter, NaCl and twenty‐two free amino acids contents, pH and levels of selected microorganisms in four layers of cheese (from edge to core) during ripening and storage period and (ii) to describe the changes of the above‐mentioned parameters caused by early relocation of cheese from optimum ripening conditions to refrigeration temperatures. The number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria and lactic acid bacteria differed significantly (P < 0.05) during the experiment dependent on the analysed layer and ripening/storage conditions. The free amino acid content differed significantly in individual analysed layers of cheese and also according to individual ripening/storage conditions. The highest content of free amino acids was found in samples stored at optimal ripening temperatures. Cheese hardness was also analysed and the lowest one was detected in samples ripened under optimal temperatures for the whole period. Early release of cheeses into storage rooms with lower temperature significantly affected properties of these products.