Abstract
Studies on how temperature affects the postharvest quality of litchi have focused mainly on pericarp browning but rarely on the metabolites in postharvest litchi pulp. In this study, the differences in respiration rates, total soluble solid content, and titratable acid content demonstrated that room and low temperatures have different effects on the quality of “Feizixiao” litchi pulp. UHPLC‐ESI‐QTOF‐MS/MS analysis was performed to compare the differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in litchi pulp after 8 days of storage at room temperature (RT‐8 d) with those in litchi pulp after 28 days of storage at low temperature (LT‐28 d). Nineteen carbohydrates (phosphohexoses, sorbitol, and mannose), fifteen acids, seven amino acids, nine energy metabolites and nucleotides, and six aliphatic and secondary metabolites were identified as common DEMs in RT‐8 d and LT‐28 d pulps. These findings indicated active fructose and mannose metabolism and increased catabolism of nicotinate, nicotinamide, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate. Four carbohydrates (mainly phosphohexoses), five acids, ten amino acids, three aliphatic and secondary metabolites, and one hormone were identified as unique DEMs in RT‐8 d pulp, the consumption of key metabolites in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and accumulation of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. Active consumption of nucleotide metabolites and biosynthesis of aliphatics in LT‐28 d pulp were indicated by unique DEMs (eleven carbohydrates, four acids, seven amino acids, seven energy metabolites and nucleotides, and six aliphatic and secondary metabolites). These results provided an unambiguous metabolic fingerprint, thereby revealing how room and low temperatures differentially influenced the quality of litchi pulp.
Highlights
Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a perishable subtropical fruit that is widely cultivated in Asian countries
The differences in the respiration rates, total soluble solid (TSS) content, and titratable acid (TA) content showed that room‐temperature and low‐temperature storage exert different effects on the quality of litchi pulps
Our results demonstrated that the room temperature for 8 d (RT‐8 d) and low temperature for 28 d (LT‐28 d) pulps presented active fructose and mannose metabolism and increased catabolism of nicotinate, nicotinamide, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate
Summary
Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a perishable subtropical fruit that is widely cultivated in Asian countries. Many studies have investigated the causes and mechanisms of pericarp browning in postharvest litchi fruit and methods for its prevention. Previous studies have rarely investigated the metabolites of postharvest litchi pulps, which determine both the flavor and interior quality. Metabolomics has been applied to the study of the mechanism through which temperature affects the postharvest quality of fruits. Room‐temperature and low‐ temperature storage usually differentially affect the physiological activities of postharvest fruits and might lead to distinct changes in metabolic profiles. The metabolites in the litchi pulp at harvest, after storage at room temperature for 8 d and after storage at low temperature for 28 d, were determined through ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–electrospray. We compared the changed metabolites and pathways in litchi pulps after 8 d of storage at room temperature with those in litchi pulps after 28 d of storage at low temperature
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