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Effect of temperature and ripening stages on membrane integrity of fresh-cut tomatoes

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Abstract

The shelf-life of fresh-cut tomatoes mainly depends on loss of tissue integrity and firmness that occurs also in intact fruits after long-term cold storage due to chilling injury. Round-fruit tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. Jama were stored in 1.1-L plastic (polyethylene) fresh-cut produce containers as 10.0-mm-thick tomato slices and as intact tomatoes at 4 ± 0.5 °C. The aim of this work was to study the loss of membrane integrity and biochemical processes involved in membrane disruption. Electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation were studied at different stages of maturity: mature green, pink (PK), fully ripe and two different storage temperatures: 4 and 15 °C. The tomato slices of PK stage stored at 4 °C did not show changes for both parameters, while significant increase in membrane leakage and lipid peroxidation was observed at 15 °C, especially after 24 h of storage. The enzymes showed a simultaneous increase in their activities with a rise in electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation after 7 days of storage. Finally, phospholipase C (PLC) and phospholipase D (PLD) were investigated for intact fruit and tomato slices stored at 4 °C. The PLC had higher activity compared with PLD. In conclusion, the loss of membrane integrity in fresh-cut tomatoes is mainly affected by ripening stages, storage temperature and duration. The wounds enhance the PLC and PLD activities and they play a role late during storage.

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Abbreviations

MG:

Mature green

PK:

Pink

FR:

Full ripe

EC:

Electrical conductivity

EL:

Electrolyte leakage

TBARS:

Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances

PLC:

Phospholipase C

PLD:

Phospholipase D

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Crop Biology, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 23, 56100, Pisa, Italy

    Alessandro Natalini & Alberto Pardossi

  2. ISI Sementi Research srl, Fraz. Ponte Ghiara 8/A, 43036, Fidenza, Italy

    Alessandro Natalini

  3. Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, C/Catedrático José Beltrán nº 2, 46980, Paterna, València, Spain

    Martinez-Diaz Vanesa

  4. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Antonio Ferrante

Authors
  1. Alessandro Natalini
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  2. Martinez-Diaz Vanesa
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  3. Antonio Ferrante
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  4. Alberto Pardossi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alessandro Natalini.

Additional information

Communicated by P. K. Nagar.

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Natalini, A., Vanesa, MD., Ferrante, A. et al. Effect of temperature and ripening stages on membrane integrity of fresh-cut tomatoes. Acta Physiol Plant 36, 191–198 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1399-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1399-2

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