Premium
Oxalic acid preharvest treatment increases antioxidant systems and improves plum quality at harvest and during postharvest storage
Author(s) -
MartínezEsplá Alejandra,
Serrano María,
MartínezRomero Domingo,
Valero Daniel,
Zapata Pedro J
Publication year - 2018
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.9165
Subject(s) - preharvest , postharvest , ripening , antioxidant , cold storage , chemistry , horticulture , food science , carotenoid , ethylene , cultivar , botany , biology , biochemistry , catalysis
BACKGROUND Plums are much appreciated by consumers as fresh fruit but have a limited storage life. Since reactive oxygen species (ROS) are associated with fruit ripening, an increase in ROS scavenging antioxidant systems could lead to a delay in postharvest plum ripening and in maintaining fruit quality after long cold storage. RESULTS Results showed that crop yield (kg per tree) and fruit weight were enhanced by preharvest oxalic acid (OA) treatment of plum cultivars (‘Black Splendor’ and ‘Royal Rosa’), although the on‐tree ripening process was delayed. In addition, the ripening process during cold storage was delayed in plums from OA‐treated tress, manifested by lower firmness and acidity losses and reduced ethylene production, as compared with fruits from control trees. Antioxidant compounds (phenolics, anthocyanins and carotenoids) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were higher in plums from OA‐treated trees than in controls, at harvest and during 50 days of cold storage. CONCLUSION OA preharvest treatment could be a useful tool to maintain plum quality properties during long‐term storage, by delaying the postharvest ripening process through a delay in ethylene production, with an additional effect on increasing bioactive compounds with health beneficial effects. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry