Antioxidative Responses to Pre-Storage Hot Water Treatment of Red Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Fruit during Cold Storage.

Jirarat Kantakhoo,Yoshihiro Imahori

doi:10.3390/foods10123031

Abstract

The effects of hot water treatments on antioxidant responses in red sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit during cold storage were investigated. Red sweet pepper fruits were treated with hot water at 55 °C for 1 (HWT-1 min), 3 (HWT-3 min), and 5 min (HWT-5 min) and stored at 10 °C for 4 weeks. The results indicated that HWT-1 min fruit showed less development of chilling injury (CI), electrolyte leakage, and weight loss. Excessive hot water treatment (3 and 5 min) caused cellular damage. Moreover, HWT-1 min slowed the production of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde and promoted the ascorbate and glutathione contents for the duration of cold storage as compared to HWT-3 min, HWT-5 min, and control. HWT-1 min enhanced the ascorbate-glutathione cycle associated with ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase, but it was less effective in simulating catalase activity. Thus, HWT-1 min could induce CI tolerance in red sweet pepper fruit by activating the ascorbate-glutathione cycle via the increased activity of related enzymes and the enhanced antioxidant level.

Highlights

Red sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important crop of the dominant horticultural products in terms of the global economy
Fruit heated at 55 ◦C for 1 min (HWT-1 min) exhibited a delay in the development of chilling injury (CI) symptoms and a lower percentage of incidence than HWT-3 min, HWT-5 min, and the control fruit
By 2 weeks of storage, the CI incidence of 60% was shown in HWT-3 min, HWT-5 min, and the control fruit, and it reached 100% in week 3

Summary

Introduction

Red sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important crop of the dominant horticultural products in terms of the global economy. It is grown worldwide in tropics and subtropics. Red sweet pepper fruit contains nutrition value (a good source of vitamin A and C) and bioactive materials, such as phenolic compounds and carotenoids [2,3]. Red sweet pepper fruit are a perishable commodity due to mechanical damage and microbial deterioration related to softening along with fruit ripening when stored at ambient temperature, resulting in a short shelf-life after harvest. A suitable storage method is necessary to maintain the quality of red sweet pepper fruit

Methods

Results

Conclusion