Abstract
Fresh-cut fruits have a limited postharvest life compared to fresh intact fruits; they have gained considerable market share. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of melatonin (1 mM) and ascorbic acid (20 mM) treatments, alone or in combination, on qualitative traits and antioxidant systems of fresh-cut avocado fruits during 14 days of cold storage (4 ± 0.5 °C and RH 95 ± 0.5%). The results showed that the combined melatonin and ascorbic acid treatment delayed colour changes, thereby retarding the ripening process and weight loss compared with separate melatonin and ascorbic acid treatments. Furthermore, melatonin and ascorbic acid treatment showed a synergistic effect on fresh-cut avocado, improving the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant system during cold storage. Compared with the control, the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents in the treated avocado were increased, and a higher antioxidant activity was observed. The combined treatment improved catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities; decreased polyphenol oxidase and guaiacol peroxidase activities; and effectively reduced membrane damage by influencing lipoxygenase activity. These results indicate that the combination of melatonin and ascorbic acid could be a useful, reliable, and eco-friendly postharvest treatment to maintain physicochemical and nutraceutical features, reduce oxidative stress and enzymatic browning, and extend the shelf life of fresh-cut avocado.
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Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.
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Milena Petriccione conceived of and designed the experiments. Anna Magri, Danilo Cice, and Giuseppe Capriolo performed the experiments. Anna Magri, Danilo Cice, and Giuseppe Capriolo analyzed the data. Milena Petriccione contributed reagents, materials, and analysis tools. Anna Magri, Danilo Cice, and Milena Petriccione drafted the manuscript.
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Magri, A., Cice, D., Capriolo, G. et al. Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Melatonin Treatments on Antioxidant System in Fresh-Cut Avocado Fruits During Cold Storage. Food Bioprocess Technol 15, 2468–2482 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-022-02892-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-022-02892-3