ISHS Acta Horticulturae 804: Europe-Asia Symposium on Quality Management in Postharvest Systems - Eurasia 2007
EFFECTS OF SHORT-TERM N2 TREATMENT ON LIPID PEROXIDATION, ANTI-OXIDANT ENZYMES AND FLESH SOFTENING OF KIWI FRUITS DURING COLD STORAGE |
| Authors: | Lili Song, Jinlin Mao, Yueming Jiang, Fei Tao, Linmei Ge, Haiyan Gao |
| Keywords: | kiwi fruit, N2 treatment, softening, anti-oxidant enzymes, peroxidation |
| Abstract:
Flesh softening is the main limitation to the postharvest storage, handling and marketing life of kiwifruit. Evidences suggest that pre-storage treatment with pure N2 gas is potentially effective in inhibiting senescence of many harvested horticultural crops. To better understand the role of short-term N2 treatment in softening of kiwi fruit, flesh firmness, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents, superoxide anion (O2.-) production rate, as well as activities of lipoxygenase (LOX), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were investigated. Kiwifruits were exposed to pure N2 gas for 6 h, and then kept in closed but vented containers for 35 days in the dark at 0-1°C and 95-100% relative humidity. Flesh firmness decreased rapidly during the cold storage time, and short-term N2 treatment inhibited the decrease in flesh firmness, particularly the rapid decrease within 7 days of the early storage, which suggested pure N2 could delay flesh softening of kiwi fruits at 1°C. MDA content, O2.- production rate and H2O2 content increased in kiwifruit with storage time. Short-term N2 treatment showed a lower level of lipid peroxidation compared to non-N2 treated fruit, with a delay in increasing in both O2.- production rate and H2O2 content. SOD, CAT and POD activities of the fruits markedly decreased during the cold storage, while LOX activity showed a maximum value on day 7, followed by a decline. The treatment with pure N2 increased activities of SOD, CAT and POD, and decreased LOX activity. These data indicated that short-term N2 treat¬ment delayed softening of cold stored kiwifruit involve alleviating lipid peroxidation via suppressing oxidative damage and enhancing antioxidant defense. | |
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