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Browning Potential, PPO, Catalase and Acid Phosphatase Activities during Ripening of Non‐chilled and Chilled Avocado
Author(s) -
Sharon Osnat,
Kahn Varda
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740300613
Subject(s) - ripening , browning , polyphenol oxidase , ethylene , catalase , chemistry , food science , acid phosphatase , horticulture , biochemistry , peroxidase , enzyme , biology , catalysis
During storage at 17°C, an increase in respiration and ethylene production and a decrease in firmness occurred sooner in avocados chilled previously than in non‐chilled ones. The browning potential of avocado mesocarp changes markedly during ripening of both non‐chilled and chilled fruits, reaching the same maximal level in both groups. However, non‐chilled ripened avocados are characterised by a much lower browning potential than ripened chilled fruits. The changes in browning potential during ripening are associated with larger changes in polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and catalase than in acid phosphatase activities. The levels of PPO and of catalase detected during ripening are about the same in non‐chilled and chilled avocado, yet the former produced much more ethylene than the latter, implying that the level of these enzymes per se does not determine the level of ethylene produced by the fruit.