Effect of cultural system and storage temperature on antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds in strawberries

The effects of cultural systems and storage temperatures on antioxidant enzyme activities and non-enzyme antioxidant components in two cultivars (‘Earliglow’ and ‘Allstar’) of strawberries were investigated. Fruit samples were hand-harvested from organic and conventional farms in Maryland, USA, and were stored at 10, 5 and 0 °C. The results from this study showed that strawberries grown from organic culture exhibited generally higher activities in antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, the organic culture also produced fruits with higher level of antioxidant contents. Strawberries stored at higher temperature (10 °C) had higher activities of antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant capacities than those stored at lower temperatures (0 or 5 °C), in both organic and conventional cultural systems. In conclusion, strawberries produced from organic culture contained significantly higher antioxidant capacities and flavonoid contents than those produced from conventional culture, and even though low storage temperatures retarded decay, they also reduced the increase in antioxidant activities.