Degradation kinetics of bioactive compounds in dried mistletoe leaves during storage

Abstract

This work evaluated the effect of air atmosphere packaging and modified atmosphere packaging on the quality and nutritional compounds of dried mistletoe leaves during 4 months of storage at 4 and 25 °C temperatures. Mistletoe leaves packaged with modified atmosphere had improved nutritional qualities overall as compared to mistletoe leaves packaged with atmosphere air. At the end of the storage period, water activity values of all samples increased by 0.72%–3.38%. Before storage, the dried mistletoe leaves' total phenolic content was determined to be 301.73 ± 2.49 mg GAE/100 g dry matter. The total phenolic content of the samples decreased by 62.00%–71.96% after four months of storage. It was determined that the highest loss of total phenolic content was observed at room temperature (25 °C) and in the samples packaged with normal atmospheric air. Total antioxidant activity values in MAP2 samples decreased by 23.82% after four months when kept at low temperatures, but the loss was calculated to be 34.48% in cases where they were kept at room temperature. Ascorbic acid content losses in AP, MAP1, and MAP2 samples kept at room temperature were 21.48%, 15.90%, and 14.72%, respectively. In the samples stored at low temperatures, these loss rates were calculated as 16.62%, 13.05%, and 12.05%, respectively. No single model was satisfactory for describing changes in ascorbic acid content, which could not be determined in the samples stored at both 4 °C and 25 °C. The dried mistletoe leaves modified atmosphere packed and stored at low temperatures provided the highest bioactive compound retention.