Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Retention of iceberg lettuce quality by low temperature storage and postharvest application of 1-methylcyclopropene or gibberellic acid

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Food Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the changes in quality of iceberg lettuce during storage at different temperatures and the effects of postharvest treatments of 1-methylcyclopropene or gibberellic acid at high temperature. The results showed that quality of the lettuce was remarkably retained during storage at 0 °C, but significantly declined at 20 °C. However, quality of the vegetable at shelf-temperature (20 °C, 85 ~ 95% RH) was effectively delayed by the treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) or gibberellic acid (GA). Browning of the lettuce leaves was significantly inhibited by the storage at low temperature and by treatment with1-MCP and GA. The biochemical analysis further indicated that the reduction of soluble protein and sugar, decrease in activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) and accumulation of free amino acids in the lettuce leaves during storage could be remarkably prevented by low temperature, treatment with1-MCP or GA. Our result suggested that 1-MCP or GA treatment would provide a potential way for controlling quality of the lettuce under suboptimal postharvest temperature conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for quantitation of micro quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Analytical Biochem 72:248–258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chandra D, Matsui T, Suzuki H, Kosugi Y, Fujimura K, Bhowmik PK (2010) Textural and compositional changes of stored iceberg lettuce in relation to harvest season and storage condition. Int J Veg Sci 16:44–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Da Cruz AG, Cenci SA, Maia MCA (2008) Microbiological hazards involved in fresh-cut lettuce processing. J Sci Food Agric 88:1455–1463

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Smith F (1956) Colorimetric method for determination of sugar and related substances. Analytical Chem 28:350–356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan X, Mattheis JP (2000) Reduction of ethylene induced physiological disorders of carrots and iceberg lettuce by 1-methylcyclopropene. HortSci 35:1312–1314

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang WB, Sheng Q, Zhou XJ, Zhang MJ, Liu XJ (2002) Regulation of detached coriander leaf senescence by 1-methylcyclopropene and ethylene. Postharvest Biol Technol 26:339–345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kader AA, Lipton WJ, Morris LL (1973) Systems for scoring quality of harvested lettuce. HortSci 8:408–409

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan AS, Singh Z, Swinny EE (2009) Postharvest application of 1-Methylcyclopropene modulates fruit ripening, storage life and quality of ‘Tegan Blue’ Japanese plum kept in ambient and cold storage. Int J Food Sci Technol 44:1272–1280

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim GH, Wills RBH (1995) Effect of ethylene on storage life of lettuce. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 69:197–201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kishore K, Pathak KA, Shukla R, Bharali R (2011) Effect of storage temperature on physico-chemical and sensory attributes of purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims). J Food Sci Technol 48:484–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koyuncu MA, Dilmacunal T, Savran HE, Yldrm A (2008) Shelf life quality of 'Bing' sweet cherry following preharvest treatment with gibberellic acid (GA3). Acta Hort 795:825–830

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lers A, Jiang WB, Lomaniec E, Aharoni N (1998) Gibberellic acid and CO2 additive effect in retarding postharvest senescence of parsley. J Food Sci 63:66–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu YB (2011) Semi-commercial ultralow oxygen treatment for control of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on harvested iceberg lettuce. Postharvest Biol Technol 59:138–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lόpez-Gálvez G, Saltveit M, Cantwell M (1996) Wound-induced phenylalanine ammonialyase activity: factors affecting its induction and correlation with the quality of minimally processed lettuces. Postharvest Biol Technol 9:223–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahajan BVC, Gafandeep S (2008) Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on storage life and quality of winter guava. J Food Sci Technol 45:537–539

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mahajan BVC, Singh K, Dhillon WS (2010) Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on storage life and quality of pear fruits. J Food Sci Technol 47:351–354

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mattheis JP, Fellman JK (1999) Preharvest factors influencing flavor of fresh fruit and vegetables. Postharvest Biol Technol 15:227–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadi M, Kazemi H (2002) Changes in peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities in susceptible and resistant wheat heads inoculated with Fusarium graminearum and induced resistance. Plant Sci 162:491–498

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nanthachai N, Ratanachinakorn B, Kosittrakun M, Beaudry RM (2007) Absorption of 1-MCP by fresh produce. Postharvest Biol Technol 43:291–297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nunes MCN, Emond JP, Rauth M, Dea S, Chau KV (2009) Environmental conditions encountered during typical consumer retail display affect fruit and vegetable quality and waste. Postharvest Biol Technol 51:232–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paul V, Pandey R, Srivastava GC (2010) Ripening of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Part I: 1-methylcyclopropene mediated delay at higher storage temperature. J Food Sci Technol 47:519–526

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peiser G, Lopez-Galvez G, Cantwell M, Saltveit ME (1998) Phenylalanine ammonialyase inhibitors control browning of cut lettuce. Postharvest Biol Technol 14:171–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rennie TJ, Vigneault C, Raghavan GSV, DeEll JR (2001) Effects of pressure reduction rate on vacuum cooled lettuce quality during storage. Can Biosyst Eng 43:339–343

    Google Scholar 

  • Saltveit ME (2004) Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on phenylpropanoid metabolism, the accumulation of phenolic compounds, and browning of whole and fresh-cut iceberg lettuce. Postharvest Biol Technol 34:75–80

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma RR, Pal RK, Singh D, Samuel DVK, Sethi S, Kumar A (2011) Evaluation of heat shrinkable films for shelf life, and quality of individually wrapped Royal Delicious apples under ambient conditions. J Food Sci Technol. doi:10.1007/s13197-011-0332-1

  • Sisler EC, Serek M (1997) Inhibitors of ethylene responses in plants at the receptor level: Recent developments. Physiol Plant 100:577–582

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tay SL, Perera CO (2004) Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene treatment and edible coatings on the quality of minimally processed lettuce. J Food Sci 69:131–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Staden J, Cook EL, Noodén LD (1988) Cytokinins and senescence. In: Noodén LD, Leopold AC (eds) Senescence and aging in plants. Academic, San Diego, pp 281–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Wills RBH, Ku VVV, Warton MA (2002) Use of 1-methylcyclopropene to extend the postharvest life of lettuce. J Sci Food Agri 82:1253–1255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yemm EW, Cocking EC (1954) The determination of amino acids with ninhydrin. Analyst 80:209–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng KF, Cao JK, Jiang WB (2006) Enhancing disease resistance in harvested mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. ‘Matisu’) fruit by salicylic acid. J Sci Food Agric 86:694–698

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao ZL, Cao JK, Jiang WB, Gu YH, Zhao YM (2009) Maturity-related chilling tolerance in mango fruit and the antioxidant capacity involved. J Sci Food Agric 89:304–309

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the 863 Research Program of China (Grant No. 2008AA100803)

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, POBox 111, Qinghua Donglu No. 17, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Weina Tian, Yanchun Lv, Jiankang Cao & Weibo Jiang

Authors
  1. Weina Tian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yanchun Lv
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jiankang Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Weibo Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Weibo Jiang.

Additional information

Weina Tian and Yanchun Lv contributed equally to this work.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tian, W., Lv, Y., Cao, J. et al. Retention of iceberg lettuce quality by low temperature storage and postharvest application of 1-methylcyclopropene or gibberellic acid. J Food Sci Technol 51, 943–949 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-011-0587-6

Download citation

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-011-0587-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation