Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment Combined with Peracetic Acid Treatment Reduces Decay and Maintains Quality in Loquat Fruit

Chen Ling,Jia Xu,Yonghua Zheng,Peng Jin,Shuang Shao,Li Wang

doi:10.1155/2018/7564056

Abstract

The effects of ultrasonic treatment (UT, 400 watts for 6 min) combined with peracetic acid (PA, 0.4% (W/W)) treatment on fruit decay, browning, and quality and physiological changes in loquat fruit stored at 20°C were investigated. The results showed that treatment with UT or PA alone significantly reduced both decay and browning index in loquat fruit compared with the control. The combined treatment was more effective in decreasing decay and browning index and maintaining higher quality parameters than UT or PA treatment alone. Loquat fruits treated with the combined treatment maintained higher activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) than those treated with other treatments. In addition, UT combined with PA treatment significantly reduced the increase of firmness and increased fruit extractable juice, total soluble solid (TSS), and ascorbic acid content in loquat fruit. Moreover, the contents of total phenolics and total flavonoids were enhanced by the combination of UT and PA treatment. The combination of UT and PA treatment could be a useful method to reduce decay and browning in loquat fruit stored at room temperature, which has potential for application in the loquat industry.

Highlights

Loquat fruit (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl), a famous local fruit of China, is popular for its delicious tastes and good nutrition
It is urgent to develop new methods to control postharvest decay in loquat fruit stored at room temperature
Our results demonstrated that Ultrasonic treatment (UT) combined with Peracetic acid (PA) treatment was more effective in reducing decay or browning index and prolonging the shelf life of loquat fruit compared with treatment alone

Summary

Introduction

Loquat fruit (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl), a famous local fruit of China, is popular for its delicious tastes and good nutrition. Loquat fruit is highly perishable and susceptible to the attack of fungal and bacterial pathogen during storage at room temperature [1]. Flesh leatheriness is regarded as fruit senescence and physiological deterioration in red-fleshed loquat cultivars during room temperature storage or even refrigeration, which limited its storage period and shelf life. The main symptoms of flesh leatheriness in loquats are related to increase in fruit firmness, dry or hard texture, juiceless pulp, and adhesion of peel to the flesh, which is a major problem during loquat fruit storage [2]. Fungicide has been widely applied to prevent postharvest decay of loquat fruit [3]. It is urgent to develop new methods to control postharvest decay in loquat fruit stored at room temperature

Results

Discussion

Conclusion