1. Introduction
The natural habitat of the species
Actinidia arguta ((Sieb. & Zucc.) Planch ex Miq) is the Asian continent. However most of the world-famous hardy kiwi varieties are grown on plantations located in New Zealand, the USA, Japan, Chile and many European countries [
1]. In recent years hardy kiwi, popularly known in Europe as minikiwi, has been gaining economic importance and because due to its high resistance to frost it can be cultivated in Poland and in the most European countries [
2].
The new polish cultivar of hardy kiwifruit ‘Bingo’
PBR (
A. purpurea ‘Purpurna Sadova’ ×
A. arguta) was obtained in the breeding programme conducted at Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland). It has dominant characteristics of
A. arguta, and its fruit differs from other cultivars on the market, mainly in its intense reddish-pink blush and a pineapple-like flavor. The fruit is cylindrical and clearly flattened at the sides. They reach a good size and an average mass of 8 g (to about 14 g). The fruiting potential of ‘Bingo’
PBR is lower than that of the popular ‘Ananasnaya’ cultivar [
3].
Actinidia fruits from wild plants have been harvested for hundreds of years and often used also in natural medicine [
4]. They contain substantial amounts of vitamin C that often significantly exceed those of other fruits or vegetables [
5,
6]. They are often referred as “healthy fruits” because, in addition to vitamin C, they contain large amounts of such compounds as polyphenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, chlorophylls and anthocyanins [
7]. They are rich in minerals: K, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mg, as well as vitamins: PP, A, B
1 and B
2 [
8,
9].
Kiwi (
A. deliociosa), and especially the fruits of cultivar ‘Hayward’, can be stored in common cold storage for as long as up to 6 months [
10]. However, as shown by previous studies [
11], the maximum period of storage in the same conditions for minikiwi fruits is only approx. 3–5 weeks. The development of the crop of this species is inextricably related to the design of appropriate storage technology for hardy kiwifruit, which will extend the availability of fresh fruits, and also allow the export of fruit to remote parts of the world. Storage conditions, adequately chosen for the given species, determine the storage ability of fruits [
12,
13,
14] This applies to the storage temperature as well as to the relative humidity and gas composition in the cold storage chamber. Decreasing of the respiration process and the synthesis of ethylene positively contributes to the inhibition of other processes associated with fruit ripening, i.e., starch hydrolysis, chlorophyll degradation or fruit softening [
15,
16,
17]. A major problem during storage time of hardy kiwifruits is their rapid softening after harvest [
18,
19,
20]. Physiological maturity of fruits at harvest has a decisive effect on the rate of their softening during storage [
21,
22]. The minikiwi is a climacteric fruit and that is why the endogenous ethylene, produced even in small amounts, activates the exo-polygalacturonase, endo-polygalacturonase, pectin esterase and endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase enzymes contributing to firmness reduction [
23]. The inhibition of this process by reducing synthesis of ethylene under low oxygen conditions or using 1-MCP can significantly contribute to extend the storage ability of fruits [
24,
25]. Therefore, the aim of these studies was to investigate changes in the physicochemical characteristics occurring in the minikiwi harvested in the different phases of physiological maturity and stored under normal versus of low oxygen conditions. Changes in the quality of the fruit of ‘Bingo’—a new Polish cultivar—and ‘Ananasnaya’—a standard cultivar commonly grown all over the world—have been described in the research results. The aim of the experiment was to show that the storage quality of ‘Bingo’ cultivar is better or at least as good as ‘Ananasnaya’. Additionally this research allowed us to determine the appropriate method of handling the fruit, the aim of which is to provide consumers with high-quality fruits and nutraceutical content.
3. Results
At harvest, it was found that the FF of both cultivars significantly differed. The fruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ were characterized by firmness of approx. 50 N, while the ‘Bingo’
PBR—approx. 35 N. 14 days after harvest a significant reduction in the FF was found, to an average level of 17.9 and 13.9 N, for ‘Ananasnaya’ and ‘Bingo’
PBR respectively. The conditions of the CA used in the experiment had a positive impact on the firmness of minikiwi fruits. The ‘Bingo’
PBR fruits were significantly firmer until the 56th day, and ‘Ananasnaya’ fruits until the 42nd day, if they were stored in CA, not in NA (
Table 1).
The experiments proved that not only storage conditions, but also state of physiological maturity of the fruits determines their firmness. Hardy kiwifruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ harvested when the soluble solids content (SSC) was 7.6°Brix were distinguished by a higher firmness up to 28 days and 42 days of storage for ‘Bingo’PBR. The results obtained indicate a slower softening of fruits harvested in the first period (harvest A).
The results obtained show that during storage there is an increase of the SSC in hardy kiwifruits. It should be noted that the rapid increase in the SSC was observed after 14 days of storage (
Table 2). Faster starch hydrolysis to monosaccharaides and the related growth of extract content occurred in fruits stored in the NA than in a CA. The ‘Ananasnaya’ fruits turned out to be “sweeter” because their maximum value of SSC after storage was 15.8°Brix, while the ‘Bingo’
PBR—13.5°Brix. In NA conditions respiration process takes place more dynamically, leading to the rapid consumption of substrates. The result of this process may be a lower SSC in ‘Bingo’
PBR fruits stored in NA than in CA after 56 days, as observed in the experiment. Fruits of two cultivars derived from the harvest B, during the testing period were characterized by a higher value of this parameter. Presumably, this was associated with a longer period of berry ripening on the vine, and the related increase in the content of assimilates in the cells of the fruit.
Own studies confirm that TA decreases significantly during storage (
Table 3). Generally, higher TA was found in fruits of harvest A and stored in the CA chamber. Decrease in acidity is associated with respiration occurring in fruits. Therefore, higher TA found in fruits stored in CA (after 42 and 56 days) was the result of slower ripening of the fruits caused by the reduced concentration of O
2 and by CO
2 increase.
As a result of transpiration and a respiration process, the fruits lost after storage almost 2.5% of their initial mass (
Table 4). It is surprising that higher losses were recorded in fruits harvested in the first period of harvest (harvest A) than in the second (harvest B). Fruit stored in a CA, as expected, showed, less weight loss, regardless of the length of the storage period.
All fruits of both tested cultivars differed in the color of the skin. Berries of ‘Ananasnaya’ variety were characterized by a much greener basic color of the surface, which was expressed by a lower value of the ‘a’ parameter (on average −6.84, immediately after harvest) compared to ‘Bingo’
PBR (on average −5.67, immediately after harvest) (
Table 5). This is also confirmed by the values of the ‘hue angel’ parameter, which indicate the dominant green skin of ‘Ananasnaya’ variety (
Table 6). The results obtained in the experiment show that the fruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ lose their green color faster. This process was particularly intense in the fruit stored in the NA, compared to the CA, in which the fruit also became less and less green, but the change was much milder. The research results indicate that the physiological state of the fruit at the time of harvesting did not determine the color changes expressed by the ‘a’ parameter, and the rate of changes was identical, regardless of the date of harvesting the fruit. The values of the ‘hue angel’ parameter prove that ‘Ananasnaya’ fruit had an intensely green, even grass-green, basic color of the peel and even after 56 days of storage it was greener than the color of the ‘Bingo’
PBR peel immediately after harvest (
Table 6). During storage, the hue of the skin color of both cultivars changed towards yellow, although this process was slightly slower in the fruit stored in a CA. As in the case of the ‘a’ parameter, the state of ripeness at the time of harvesting the fruit did not significantly change the color of the peel of both tested cultivars.
‘Ananasnaya’ fruit was characterized by a slightly higher color intensity after harvest than the ‘Bingo’
PBR fruit (32.8 and 29.8, respectively). During storage, a decrease in the saturation of the skin color of the fruit was observed (
Table 7). This process progressed slightly faster in the peel of the fruit stored in a NA, but this relationship was only observed after 42 days of storage for Ananasnaya ‘and 28 for’ Bingo‘
PBR. Harvest maturity during fruit harvesting did not imply the nature of changes in the saturation of the basic skin color of both cultivars during storage.
In general we can say that, regardless of storage conditions AAC in fruits increased up to 28th day, then decreased although not always significantly as far as statistics is concerned (
Table 8). The results of the studies show that fruits which ripen longer on the vine may contain higher amount of vitamin C. ‘Bingo’
PBR fruits were characterized by a higher content of vitamin C if harvested at higher soluble solids, which was not observed in the ‘Ananasnaya’ fruits.
In general we can say that the total polyphenol content remained at a similar level (‘Ananasnaya’) or slightly decreased during storage (‘Bingo’
PBR). In an independently performed experiment, an increase in the TPC was observed up to 28th day of storage (‘Ananasnaya’), however, it was not confirmed by statistics. The state of physiological ripeness of fruit at harvest did not determine the TPC (
Table 9). Only in the fruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ the increase in polyphenol content was observed after 14 and 28 days if the fruits originated from the first harvest, but in consecutive dates of analyses the TPC decreased.
The conditions of fruit storage did not imply the AA of the fruit, and the directions of changes in value of this index were similar for both cultivars. Contrary to expectations, ‘Bingo’
PBR fruits harvested during the second harvest were characterized by a higher antioxidant activity than the fruits from the first harvest, after the 28th day of maturing in a cold store (
Table 10). A similar relationship was not found during the storage of ‘Ananasnaya’ fruit. The interaction of the rate of changes in AA against the background of storage technology was not clear. The fruit of ‘Ananasnaya’ stored in NA was characterized by a stable level of activity, while the fruit stored in CA was characterized by higher activity until the 56th day of the study. The storage of ‘Bingo’
PBR variety fruit in NA conditioned a slight decrease in AA, proved in the last time of the analyzes, but the storage in CA did not determine a similar trend.
4. Discussion
Firmness is a basic quality feature describing deformation resistance of fruit. At harvest, it was found that the fruit firmness of both cultivars significantly differed. The fruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ were characterized by firmness of approx. 50 N, while that of the ‘Bingo’
PBR cultivar was approx. 35 N. 14 days after harvest a significant reduction in the FF was found, to an average level of 17.9 and 13.9 N, for ‘Ananasnaya’ and ‘Bingo’
PBR respectively. The rapid loss of firmness in the initial period of storage was previously reported by Fisk et al. [
19]. White et al. [
18] found that the hardy kiwifruits quickly lose firmness in the cooling conditions, i.e., much faster than the other species of the genus
Actinidia, while decline of the FF after 2 weeks of cold storage can be even more than 50% of the initial value. Also, in previous experiments [
11,
16], it has been found that FF decreases more rapidly during the first 2–3 weeks of storage than in the later period. The conditions of the CA used in the experiment had a positive impact on the firmness of minikiwi fruits. The ‘Bingo’
PBR fruits were significantly firmer until the 56th day, and ‘Ananasnaya’ fruits until the 42nd day, if they were stored in CA, not in NA. Positive effects of O
2 reducing concentration and increase of CO
2 were observed in ‘Hayward’ cultivar (
A. deliciosa) by Öz and Eris [
33], who also stated that the beneficial effect of gases modification in the CA conditions depends on the storage temperature and occurs only at temperatures below 5 °C. The softening of fruit tissue is the effect of polygalacturonase enzyme activity, which is responsible for the degradation of pectin, the main components of cell walls, in the middle lamella. The activity of the polygalacturonase enzyme depends on the ambient temperature and its maximum activity is present in the range of 30–50 °C, and significantly reduces at high temperatures (above 60 °C) and low temperatures [
34]. The experiment proved that not only storage conditions, but also state of physiological maturity of the fruits determines their firmness. Hardy kiwifruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ harvested when the content of the extract (SSC) was 7.6°Brix were distinguished by a higher firmness up to 28 days and 42 days of storage for ‘Bingo’
PBR. The results obtained indicate a slower softening of fruits harvested in the first period (harvest A). This opinion is shared by Fisk et al. [
35] who found that the hardy kiwifruits soften slower if harvested at the SSC below 9°Brix. In general, the fruits harvested at the SSC of 7.7°Brix and stored under CA conditions were much firmer than in the other combinations.
The results obtained show that during storage there is an increase of SSC in hardy kiwifruits. It should be noted that the rapid increase in the SSC was observed after 14 days of storage. Faster starch hydrolysis to monosaccharaides and the related growth of extract content occurred in fruits stored in the NA than in CA. The ‘Ananasnaya’ fruits turned out to be “sweeter” because their maximum value of SSC after storage was 15.8°Brix, while the ‘Bingo’
PBR—13.5°Brix. Also Park et al. [
36] observed an increase in SSC during the storage of
A. deliciosa fruits. The results obtained by Strik [
27] show that the SSC in
A. arguta fruits can get value of up to 25°Brix, but neither in these studies nor in the works of Fisk et al. [
19,
35] such high values of SSC have been achieved. The SSC is associated with the activity of enzymes that cause degradation of starch and with the reduced level of monosaccharaides (hexoses) in the respiration process [
37]. In the NA conditions respiration process takes place more dynamically, leading to the rapid consumption of substrates. The result of this process may be a lower SSC in ‘Bingo’
PBR fruits stored in NA than in CA after 56 days, as observed in the experiment. Fruits of two cultivars derived from the harvest B, during the testing period were characterized by a higher value of this parameter. Presumably, this was associated with a longer period of berry ripening on the vine, and the related increase in the content of assimilates in the cells of the fruit. Abdala et al. [
38] found that the state of kiwi fruit maturity at harvest does not condition the SSC or the TA after their storage. Just as in the reports of other authors [
28,
35] their own studies confirm that TA decreases significantly during storage. Generally, higher TA was found in fruits of harvest A and stored in the CA chamber. Decrease in TA is associated with respiration occurring in fruits. Therefore, higher TA found in fruits stored in CA (after 42 and 56 days) was the result of slower ripening of the fruits caused by the reduced concentration of O
2 and by CO
2 increase.
The peel colour change is caused by the degradation of chlorophyll as the fruits ripen. The fruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ variety were characterized by a grass-green basic color of the peel, while the peel of ‘Bingo’
PBR variety was definitely more green-yellow. During storage, the fruits lose their green colour, however, this process occurred faster in fruits stored in NA than in CA. In addition, during research, color intensity disappearance was found, which progressed more slowly in the fruit stored in a CA. Significant differences were found after 28 days of storage and on subsequent analysis days. The study has not reported the effect of harvest time on the intensity of green colour of fruit peel, as in the previous studies by Fisk et al. [
19,
35].
As a result of transpiration and a respiration process, the fruits lost after storage almost 2.5% of their initial mass. It is surprising that higher losses were recorded in fruits harvested in the first period of harvest (harvest A) than in the second (harvest B). The opposite results were obtained by Ghasemnezhad et al. [
21] who stated that the fruits of
A. deliciosa better preserved their mass if harvested at 6.5°Brix than at a higher SSC. High mass loss of the harvest A can be associated with less amount wax covering fruit peel. The results obtained in the experiment are consistent with the results obtained by Fisk et al. [
19] who claim that the storage in NA may even cause more than 3% mass loss of the hardy kiwifruits. However, Fisk et al. [
19] in their studies did not evaluate effect of CA on the fruit mass loss.
Vitamin C and polyphenols are the largest group of antioxidants known to consumers. The content of vitamin C in fruits after harvest was similar to the results obtained by Nishiyama et al. [
39], who reports that the AAC in fruits of
A. arguta ranges within 37 to 185 mg·100 g
−1 f.w. The vitamin C content changed during storage. In general we can say that, regardless of storage conditions AAC in fruits increased up to 28th day, then decreased although not always significantly as far as statistics is concerned. The results obtained are consistent with the reports of Tavarini et al. [
40], who reported decrease of AAC in fruits of ‘Hayward’ after storage in NA. The results of the studies show that fruits which ripen longer on the vine may contain higher amount of vitamin C. ‘Bingo’
PBR fruits were characterized by a higher content of vitamin C if harvested at higher SSC, which was not observed in the ‘Ananasnaya’ fruits. Also Ghasemnezhad et al. [
21] found a higher AAC after storage in fruits harvested at the SSC above 9.0°Brix. TPC in fruits, like vitamin C, affect their health prevention function. The TPC in fruits of both cultivars does not differ from those obtained in previous studies [
6]. These values, however, are lower than in the reports of Kim et al. [
17] or Fisk et al. [
35]. The present studies do not prove the effect of storage conditions on the TPC. In general we can say that the TPC remained at a similar level (‘Ananasnaya’) or slightly decreased during storage (‘Bingo’
PBR). Yildirim and Bayir [
25] present a similar point of view and state that the storage of fruit in CA promotes the inhibition of polyphenols loss. In contrast, Fisk et al. [
35] observed an increase in the TPC in fruits of the ‘Ananasnaya’ stored at 2 °C. In an independently performed experiment, an increase in the TPC was observed up to 28th day of storage (‘Ananasnaya’), however, it was not confirmed by statistics. The state of physiological ripeness of fruit at harvest did not determine the TPC. Only in the fruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ the increase in polyphenol content was observed after 14 and 28 days if the fruits originated from the first harvest, but in consecutive dates of analyses the TPC decreased. Ghasemnezhad et al. [
21] state that
A. deliciosa fruits, characterized by a low SSC during the harvest, contain more polyphenols after storage. Also Fisk et al. [
35] are of the opinion that the hardy kiwifruits harvested at a lower SSC are characterized by a higher TPC.
The AA is a measure of the ability to scavenge free radicals. The analyses showed that the AA of fruits at harvest maturity is on average 1.0 mg ascorbic acid·g
−1 f.w. The results of these studies confirm the studies by Latocha et al. [
6] who reported that the AA of ‘Ananasnaya’ fruits was approx. 1.0 mg AAC·g
−1 f.w. An individually performed experiment did not prove a significant effect of storage conditions on AA, which is consistent with the reports of Yildirim and Bayir [
25]. Individual findings indicate that the fruits of ‘Bingo’
PBR harvested in the second term (harvest B) were characterized by higher AA. This relationship is statistically confirmed only in this cultivar, which may be associated with its hybrid origin conditioning the synthesis of anthocyanin dyes found in the peel of the fruit. The reports of other authors emphasize the fact that the AA is higher in less mature fruits [
21].