Fruit and Vegetable: Postharvest Physiology, Pathology, Metabolic Changes and Storage Quality

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2023) | Viewed by 33093

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Interests: food safety; mycotoxins degradation and detoxification; antimicrobial potential of natural compounds in foods; postharvest physiology and pathology of fresh fruits and vegetables

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fruit and vegetables are of great importance to the human diet and health. After being harvested, fruit and vegetables are still living organisms and therefore suffer physiological and metabolic changes that lead to the undesirable changes in physicochemical parameters, sensory attributes, nutritional value, and the occurrence of disease, causing qualitative and quantitative losses and the shortening shelf life. Therefore, it is very important that the biochemical pathways and molecular mechanisms that control these changes are understood for fruit and vegetables to be properly handled and their qualitative and quantitative losses reduced. This Special Issue is dedicated to both original research articles and critical reviews that consider biological research on harvested fruit and vegetables, which deals with but is not limited to the physiological changes during postharvest storage, the metabolic pathways of key components related to fruit and vegetable quality, postharvest disease and the molecular basis of their pathogenesis, and the development and characterization of the mechanism of action of new alternative treatments to extend shelf life or control postharvest disease.

Prof. Dr. Yun Wang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • storage quality
  • shelf life
  • postharvest technology
  • postharvest physiology
  • postharvest disease
  • plant-pathogen interaction

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4945 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Co-Expression Network Analysis of Peach Fruit with Different Sugar Concentrations Reveals Key Regulators in Sugar Metabolism Involved in Cold Tolerance
by Lufan Wang, Xiaolin Zheng, Zhengwen Ye, Mingshen Su, Xianan Zhang, Jihong Du, Xiongwei Li, Huijuan Zhou and Chen Huan
Foods 2023, 12(11), 2244; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12112244 - 1 Jun 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1628
Abstract
Peach fruits are known to be highly susceptible to chilling injury (CI) during low-temperature storage, which has been linked to the level of sugar concentration in the fruit. In order to better understand the relationship between sugar metabolism and CI, we conducted a [...] Read more.
Peach fruits are known to be highly susceptible to chilling injury (CI) during low-temperature storage, which has been linked to the level of sugar concentration in the fruit. In order to better understand the relationship between sugar metabolism and CI, we conducted a study examining the concentration of sucrose, fructose, and glucose in peach fruit with different sugar concentrations and examined their relationship with CI. Through transcriptome sequencing, we screened the functional genes and transcription factors (TFs) involved in the sugar metabolism pathway that may cause CI in peach fruit. Our results identified five key functional genes (PpSS, PpINV, PpMGAM, PpFRK, and PpHXK) and eight TFs (PpMYB1/3, PpMYB-related1, PpWRKY4, PpbZIP1/2/3, and PpbHLH2) that are associated with sugar metabolism and CI development. The analysis of co-expression network mapping and binding site prediction identified the most likely associations between these TFs and functional genes. This study provides insights into the metabolic and molecular mechanisms regulating sugar changes in peach fruit with different sugar concentrations and presents potential targets for breeding high-sugar and cold-tolerant peach varieties. Full article
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15 pages, 1252 KiB  
Article
Post-Harvest Red- and Far-Red-Light Irradiation and Low Temperature Induce the Accumulation of Carotenoids, Capsaicinoids, and Ascorbic Acid in Capsicum annuum L. Green Pepper Fruit
by Pavel Pashkovskiy, Nikolay Sleptsov, Mikhail Vereschagin, Vladimir Kreslavski, Natalia Rudometova, Pavel Sorokoumov, Aleksandr Ashikhmin, Maksim Bolshakov and Vladimir Kuznetsov
Foods 2023, 12(8), 1715; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12081715 - 20 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1986
Abstract
Environmental factors, such as light of different spectral compositions and temperature, can change the level of activated photoreceptors which, in turn, can affect the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in the cells of green fruit. By briefly irradiating the harvested fruit of Capsicum annuum [...] Read more.
Environmental factors, such as light of different spectral compositions and temperature, can change the level of activated photoreceptors which, in turn, can affect the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in the cells of green fruit. By briefly irradiating the harvested fruit of Capsicum annuum L. hot peppers with red light (RL, maximum 660 nm) and far-red light (FRL, maximum 730 nm) and by keeping them at a low temperature, we attempted to determine whether the state of phytochromes in fruit affects the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Using HPLC, we analysed the qualitative composition and quantitative content of the main carotenoids and alkaloids and the chlorophylls and ascorbate, in pepper fruit exposed to the above factors. We measured the parameters characterising the primary photochemical processes of photosynthesis and the transcript levels of genes encoding capsaicin biosynthesis enzymes. The total carotenoids content in the fruit increased most noticeably after 24 h of RL irradiation (more than 3.5 times compared to the initial value), and the most significant change in the composition of carotenoids occurred when the fruit was irradiated with FRL for 72 h. The capsaicin alkaloid content increased markedly after 72 h of FRL irradiation (more than 8 times compared to the initial value). It was suggested that decrease in the activity of phytochromes due to a low temperature or FRL may result in an increase in the expression of the PAL and CAM genes. Full article
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13 pages, 3379 KiB  
Article
Effect of 100% Oxygen-Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Maintaining the Quality of Fresh-Cut Broccoli during Refrigerated Storage
by Yukexin Dai, Xiaoyan Zhao, Jinhua Zuo and Yanyan Zheng
Foods 2023, 12(7), 1524; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071524 - 4 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2808
Abstract
The effect of 100% oxygen (O2)-modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality improvement of fresh-cut broccoli stored at 4 °C for 15 days was investigated in this study. The results indicated that, compared to the control group conditions, 100% O2 [...] Read more.
The effect of 100% oxygen (O2)-modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality improvement of fresh-cut broccoli stored at 4 °C for 15 days was investigated in this study. The results indicated that, compared to the control group conditions, 100% O2 MAP treatment effectively maintained broccoli sensory evaluation scores, green color, and texture; reduced respiration and chlorophyll degradation; and reduced total bacterial count (TBC), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide (O2) contents. Furthermore, 100% O2 MAP led to a smaller loss of nutrients and increased antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, the use of 100% O2 MAP is an effective approach for maintaining high-quality fresh-cut broccoli during refrigerated storage at 4 °C. Full article
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18 pages, 2377 KiB  
Article
Relationship among Sugars, Organic Acids, Mineral Composition, and Chilling Injury Sensitivity on Six Pomegranate Cultivars Stored at 2 °C
by José Manuel Lorente-Mento, Alberto Carrión-Antolí, Fabián Guillén, María Serrano, Daniel Valero and Domingo Martínez-Romero
Foods 2023, 12(7), 1364; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071364 - 23 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2205
Abstract
Pomegranate is a sensitive fruit to chilling injury (CI) during storage at temperatures below 7 °C. However, sensitivity of pomegranate to CI is dependent on cultivar and exposure times to low temperatures. In this work, the sensitivity to CI of six pomegranate cultivars [...] Read more.
Pomegranate is a sensitive fruit to chilling injury (CI) during storage at temperatures below 7 °C. However, sensitivity of pomegranate to CI is dependent on cultivar and exposure times to low temperatures. In this work, the sensitivity to CI of six pomegranate cultivars (Punica granatum L.) ‘Wonderful’, ‘Kingdom’, ‘Bigful’, ‘Acco’, ‘Purple Queen’, and ‘Mollar de Elche’, was evaluated after 30 d at 2 °C plus 2 d at 20 °C. Among cultivars, there was a great variability in the sensitivity to the appearance of CI symptoms. ‘Kingdom’ cultivar was the most CI sensitive and ‘Mollar de Elche’ cultivar was the least sensitive cultivar. CI symptoms were greater in the internal part of the skin than in the external part, although no correlation was found between ion leakage (IL) and CI severity after cold storage. However, both, external and internal CI index were correlated with the IL at harvest, with Pearson correlation of 0.63 and 0.80, respectively. In addition, this variability to CI among cultivars could also be due to composition and tissue structures in arils and peel. The solute content of the arils (anthocyanins, sugars, and organic acids, in particular citric acid), showed high correlations with CI sensitivity, with Pearson correlations (r) of 0.56 for total soluble solids, 0.87 for total acidity, 0.94 for anthocyanins, −0.94 for oxalic acid, 0.87 for citric acid, 0.62 for tartaric acid, −0.91 for malic acid, 0.8 for sucrose, and 0.71 for glucose, which can leak to the inner surface of the peel causing browning reactions. In addition, the high peel Ca/K ratio could play an important role on increasing fruit tolerance to CI, since it was negatively correlated with the internal and external CI indexes. Full article
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15 pages, 8586 KiB  
Article
Study on Characteristics and Lignification Mechanism of Postharvest Banana Fruit during Chilling Injury
by Lu Xiao, Xunyuan Jiang, Yicai Deng, Kaihang Xu, Xuewu Duan, Kai Wan and Xuemei Tang
Foods 2023, 12(5), 1097; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12051097 - 4 Mar 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3704
Abstract
The banana is prone to chilling injury (CI) at low temperature and showing a series of chilling symptoms, such as peel browning, etc. Lignification is a response to abiotic stress and senescence, which is an important manifestation of fruits and vegetables during chilling [...] Read more.
The banana is prone to chilling injury (CI) at low temperature and showing a series of chilling symptoms, such as peel browning, etc. Lignification is a response to abiotic stress and senescence, which is an important manifestation of fruits and vegetables during chilling exposure. However, little is known about the lignification of bananas during low-temperature storage. Our study explored the characteristics and lignification mechanism of banana fruits during low-temperature storage by analyzing the changes of chilling symptoms, oxidative stress, cell wall metabolism, microstructures, and gene expression related to lignification. The results showed that CI inhibited post-ripening by effecting the degradation of the cell wall and starch and accelerated senescence by increasing O2− and H2O2 content. For lignification, Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) might start the phenylpropanoid pathway of lignin synthesis. Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 4 (CCR4), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (CAD2), and 4-coumarate--CoA ligase like 7 (4CL7) were up-regulated to promote the lignin monomer’s synthesis. Peroxidase 1 (POD1) and Laccase 3 (LAC3) were up-regulated to promote the oxidative polymerization of lignin monomers. These results suggest that changes of the cell wall structure and cell wall metabolism, as well as lignification, are involved in the senescence and quality deterioration of the banana after chilling injury. Full article
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12 pages, 2307 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Analysis and Functional Characterization Reveal That Peclg Gene Contributes to the Virulence of Penicillium expansum on Apple Fruits
by Jiayu Zhou, Weifeng Gong, Tingting Tu, Jiaqi Zhang, Xiaoshuang Xia, Luning Zhao, Xinghua Zhou and Yun Wang
Foods 2023, 12(3), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030479 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2140
Abstract
Penicillium expansum is the causal agent of blue mold decay on apple fruits and is also known to be the major producer of patulin, a mycotoxin that represents serious hazard to human health. Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the pathogenesis of [...] Read more.
Penicillium expansum is the causal agent of blue mold decay on apple fruits and is also known to be the major producer of patulin, a mycotoxin that represents serious hazard to human health. Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the pathogenesis of P. expansum in host plants. Secreted effector proteins are vital for the pathogenicity of many fungal pathogens through manipulating their hosts for efficient colonization. In this study, we performed a RNA-Seq analysis followed by computational prediction of effector proteins from P. expansum during infection of the host apple fruits, and a total of 212 and 268 candidate effector protein genes were identified at 6 and 9 h after inoculation (hai), respectively. One of the candidate effector protein genes was identified as a concanavalin A-like lectin/glucanase (Peclg), which was dramatically induced during the pathogen–host interaction. Targeted knockout of Peclg resulted in significant reduction in conidial production and germination relative to the wild type. Further studies showed that in addition to salt stress, the mutant was much more sensitive to SDS and Congo red, suggesting a defect in cell wall integrity. Pathogenicity assays revealed that the ΔPeclg mutant showed significant decrease in virulence and infectious growth on apple fruits. All these results suggest that Peclg is required for fungal growth, stress response, and the virulence of P. expansum. Full article
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13 pages, 3555 KiB  
Article
Amelioration of Chilling Injury by Fucoidan in Cold-Stored Cucumber via Membrane Lipid Metabolism Regulation
by Yupei Zhang, Duo Lin, Ruyu Yan, Yunhe Xu, Mengying Xing, Shuyuan Liao, Chunpeng Wan, Chuying Chen, Liqin Zhu, Wenbin Kai, Jinyin Chen and Zengyu Gan
Foods 2023, 12(2), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020301 - 8 Jan 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2707
Abstract
Cucumber fruit is very sensitive to chilling injury, which rapidly depreciates their commodity value. Herein, the effect of fucoidan treatment on cucumber under cold stress were investigated. Fucoidan treatment of cold-stored cucumber alleviated the occurrence of chilling injury, delayed weight loss, lowered electrolyte [...] Read more.
Cucumber fruit is very sensitive to chilling injury, which rapidly depreciates their commodity value. Herein, the effect of fucoidan treatment on cucumber under cold stress were investigated. Fucoidan treatment of cold-stored cucumber alleviated the occurrence of chilling injury, delayed weight loss, lowered electrolyte leakage and respiration rate, and retarded malondialdehyde accumulation. Different from the control fruit, fucoidan treated fruit showed a high level of fatty acid unsaturated content, fatty acid unsaturation, and unsaturation index and increased ω-FDAS activity, along with upregulated expression levels of CsSAD and CsFAD genes. Fucoidan reduced the phosphatidic acid content and membrane lipid peroxidation, lowered the phospholipase D (PLD) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, and downregulated the expression levels of CsPLD and CsLOX genes. Collectively, fucoidan treatment maintained the integrity of cell membrane in cold-stress cucumbers. The results provide a new prospect for the development of fucoidan as a preservative agent in the low-temperature postharvest storage of cucumbers. Full article
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13 pages, 2924 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Sodium Nitroprusside Treatment on Storage Ability of Fresh-Cut Potato
by Yukexin Dai, Hong Xie, Xiaoyan Zhao and Yanyan Zheng
Foods 2023, 12(1), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010221 - 3 Jan 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2277
Abstract
Quality deterioration is a major problem restricting the fresh-cut potato industry. The present study investigated the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) treatment on the quality of fresh-cut potatoes during short-term storage. The treatment was carried out immediately either before or after cutting, using [...] Read more.
Quality deterioration is a major problem restricting the fresh-cut potato industry. The present study investigated the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) treatment on the quality of fresh-cut potatoes during short-term storage. The treatment was carried out immediately either before or after cutting, using an SNP concentration of 200 μmol/L. The results showed that SNP treatment inhibited the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total soluble solids (TSSs). SNP treatment also decreased the firmness, chewing properties, and ascorbic acid (AsA) content in potatoes, maintaining high levels of total phenols (TPs), total flavonoids (TFs), nitric oxide (NO), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Furthermore, SNP treatment restrained the rise of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), as well as the electrolyte leakage (EL) rate. After SNP treatment, the nitrite content in the potatoes was within security scope. Comparing potatoes treated before and after cutting, the best result was noted in the potatoes soaked in SNP before cutting, which displayed the smallest losses in firmness (11.24%), chewing properties (34.30%), and AsA (40.35%), and maximum increases in TPs (32.84%), TFs (2.83−time), NO (76.11%), and SOD activity (93.15%). Moreover, this group presented the minimum MDA content, EL rate, and TSS values and the lowest PAL, POD, and PPO activities. These results indicated that 200 μmol/L SNP applied for 20 min, particularly before cutting, is an efficient alternative technology that can be used in the fresh-cut potato industry. Full article
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13 pages, 2560 KiB  
Article
Screening and Regulation Mechanism of Key Transcription Factors of Penicillium expansum Infecting Postharvest Pears by ATAC-Seq Analysis
by Lina Zhao, Yuling Shu, Sihao Quan, Solairaj Dhanasekaran, Xiaoyun Zhang and Hongyin Zhang
Foods 2022, 11(23), 3855; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11233855 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2108
Abstract
Transcription factors play a key role in Penicillium expansum infection process. Although the crucial characteristics of some transcription factors of pathogenic fungi have been found, many transcription factors involved in P. expansum infections have not been explored and studied. This study aimed to [...] Read more.
Transcription factors play a key role in Penicillium expansum infection process. Although the crucial characteristics of some transcription factors of pathogenic fungi have been found, many transcription factors involved in P. expansum infections have not been explored and studied. This study aimed to screen the transcription factors of P. expansum involved in postharvest pear infections by ATAC-seq analysis and to analyze the differentially expressed peak-related genes by GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis. Our results found the up-regulation of differentially expressed peak-related genes involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, pentose phosphate pathway, starch and sucrose metabolism, and pentose and glucuronate interconversions. Our study especially confirmed the differential regulation of transcription factors MCM1, Ste12 and gene WSC in the MAPK signaling pathway and PG1, RPE1 in the pentose and glucuronate interconversions pathway. These transcription factors and related genes might play an essential role in pear fruit infection by P. expansum. RT-qPCR validation of twelve expressed peak-related genes in P. expansum showed that the expression levels of these twelve genes were compatible with the ATAC-Seq. Our findings might shed some light on the regulatory molecular networks consisting of transcription factors that engaged in P. expansum invasion and infection of pear fruits. Full article
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13 pages, 1954 KiB  
Article
Effects of Storage Temperature, Packaging Material and Wash Treatment on Quality and Shelf Life of Tartary Buckwheat Microgreens
by Huiling Yan, Wenfei Li, Hongxu Chen, Qingxia Liao, Mengying Xia, Dingtao Wu, Changying Liu, Jianxiong Chen, Liang Zou, Lianxin Peng, Gang Zhao and Jianglin Zhao
Foods 2022, 11(22), 3630; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223630 - 14 Nov 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2701
Abstract
Tartary buckwheat microgreens (TBM) are popular worldwide products but display an extremely short shelf life. Thus, the effects of storage temperature, packaging material, and wash treatment on the quality and shelf life were analyzed. Headspace composition, weight loss, electrolyte leakage, microbial population and [...] Read more.
Tartary buckwheat microgreens (TBM) are popular worldwide products but display an extremely short shelf life. Thus, the effects of storage temperature, packaging material, and wash treatment on the quality and shelf life were analyzed. Headspace composition, weight loss, electrolyte leakage, microbial population and sensory quality were investigated during storage. Results showed that shelf life and quality of TBM decreased with the increment of storage temperature when stored at 5–25 °C. During 5 °C storage, LDPE bags were the best packaging materials for preserving the quality of LDPE, PE and HDPE bags. On the basis of 5 °C and LDPE packages, ClO2 + citric acid wash treatment could further inhibit quality deterioration and extend the shelf life. The results demonstrated bioactive constituents and antioxidant capacity were significantly affected by storage time. The study provides insights into developing optimal packaging and storage conditions for TBM. Full article
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16 pages, 3761 KiB  
Article
Systematic Study of the Sensory Quality, Metabolomics, and Microbial Community of Fresh-Cut Watermelon Provides New Clues for Its Quality Control and Preservation
by Yili Hu, Yi Cai, Haibin Wang, Yin Xiong, Xinyu Zhang, Liying Wei and Zhixian Qiao
Foods 2022, 11(21), 3423; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213423 - 28 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2178
Abstract
As a popular form of fruit consumption, fresh-cut watermelon is of great convenience for its consumers. Owing to the lack of comprehensive knowledge about the quality changes of fresh-cut watermelon during its shelf life, guidelines and standards are unavailable currently. To clarify the [...] Read more.
As a popular form of fruit consumption, fresh-cut watermelon is of great convenience for its consumers. Owing to the lack of comprehensive knowledge about the quality changes of fresh-cut watermelon during its shelf life, guidelines and standards are unavailable currently. To clarify the deterioration process and its underlying mechanism in fresh-cut watermelon, the sensory parameters, metabolomics, and microbial community of fresh-cut watermelon during a three-day storage at both room temperature (RT) and refrigerator temperature were systematically studied in this work. Results revealed that the whole property of the watermelon stored at refrigerator temperature kept stable, while pulps stored at RT had substantially deteriorated after 36 h. The decay was reflected in the significant decrease in soluble solid contents, firmness, pH, and color parameters in the sensory perspective. At the metabolic level, significantly declined malate, citrate, uridine, uridine 5-monophosphate, and amino acids, and increased ethanol and lactate contents, were observed as deterioration markers, which partially resulted from the activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase and the burst of genera Enterobacteriaceae and Leuconostocaceae. This study unveiled the underlying mechanisms of quality changes in fresh-cut watermelon under its primary storage conditions to provide fundamental information and potential clues for its quality control and preservation. Full article
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14 pages, 5216 KiB  
Article
Nitric Oxide Made a Major Contribution to the Improvement of Quality in Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) by the Combined Treatment of Nitric Oxide with 1-MCP
by Xiaoyu Wang, Zhifeng Yang, Jinxia Cui and Shuhua Zhu
Foods 2022, 11(19), 3147; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11193147 - 10 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2106
Abstract
Browning is one of the major effects of shelf-life responsible for the reduction in the commercial value of the button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). In this study, the individual and the combined effects of exogenous sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a nitric oxide donor) [...] Read more.
Browning is one of the major effects of shelf-life responsible for the reduction in the commercial value of the button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). In this study, the individual and the combined effects of exogenous sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a nitric oxide donor) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the quality of button mushrooms were evaluated. The results demonstrated that mushrooms treated with SNP+1-MCP promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism thereby protecting cell membrane integrity, hindering polyphenol oxidase (PPO) binding to phenolic compounds, and downregulating the PPO activity. In addition, the SNP+1-MCP treatment effectively maintained quality (firmness, color, total phenol, and flavonoid) and mitigated oxidative damage by reducing ROS accumulation and malondialdehyde production through the stimulation of the antioxidant enzymes activities and the enhancement of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) contents. Moreover, the correlation analysis validated the above results. The SNP+1-MCP treatment was observed to be more prominent on maintaining quality than the individual effects of SNP followed by 1-MCP, suggesting that the combination of NO and 1-MCP had synergistic effects in retarding button mushrooms senescence, and NO signaling molecules might be predominant in the synergy. Full article
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14 pages, 1927 KiB  
Article
Attenuation of Chilling Injury and Improving Antioxidant Capacity of Persimmon Fruit by Arginine Application
by Fahimeh Nasr, Farhang Razavi, Vali Rabiei, Gholamreza Gohari, Sajid Ali and Christophe Hano
Foods 2022, 11(16), 2419; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11162419 - 11 Aug 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2521
Abstract
Persimmon is a climacteric perishable fruit with a short storage life. In recent years, using natural compounds that are safe for human health and environment have obtained more attention in postharvest investigations. The current research was conducted to study efficacy of postharvest L-arginine [...] Read more.
Persimmon is a climacteric perishable fruit with a short storage life. In recent years, using natural compounds that are safe for human health and environment have obtained more attention in postharvest investigations. The current research was conducted to study efficacy of postharvest L-arginine treatment at 0, 0.3, and 0.6 mM in improving chilling tolerance and maintaining the nutritional quality of persimmon fruit during low-temperature storage. According to the results, the highest weight loss (4.3%), malondialdehyde (MDA (5.8 nmol g−1 FW)), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 (22.33 nmol g−1 FW)) was detected in control fruit. Fruit firmness was gradually decreased during storage, but it was slower in L-arginine-treated fruit. The highest tissue firmness (3.8 kg cm−2) was noted in fruit treated with 0.6 mM L-arginine. The chilling was gradually increased during storage. Fruits treated with L-arginine showed a lower chilling injury than the control fruit. Total soluble tannin compound and antioxidant enzymes activities in persimmons declined during cold storage. L-arginine treatment significantly maintained antioxidant enzymes activity, antioxidant capacity, and total soluble tannin compounds, while L-arginine had no significant impact on titratable acidity and total soluble solids. It seems that a reduction in oxidative damage and an increase in quality of persimmon during low-temperature storage manifested several defense mechanisms induced by exogenous application of L-arginine. These findings indicated that the application of L-arginine to maintain the quality and increase postharvest life of persimmon is very useful and can be applied during cold storage. Full article
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