Abstract
Fruits can be easily infected and damaged by microbes. Cold storage is a popular approach used to extend the shelf-life of fruits. In this paper, the effect of caffeic acid on physiological parameters and shelf-life of mulberries (Morus alba L.) stored for 21 days at 4°C was evaluated. The results showed that the shelf-life was significantly improved in the mulberries treated with the different concentrations of caffeic acid solution for 5 min (P < 0.05). Certain physiological parameters, like phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonoids and Vitamin C were also significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the treated mulberries. The results showed that the rotting rate and the weight loss ratio were 47.0 and 6.6% in the 0.20 g/L caffeic acid-treated fruits after storing for 21 days at 4°C, respectively. While these two parameters were 79.0 and 9.7% in the control. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the 0.20 g/L caffeic acid-treated mulberries than that in the samples treated with 0.00, 0.10, 0.25 and 0.30 g/L caffeic acid. Moreover, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities in the caffeic acid treated mulberries were significantly higher than those in the control (P < 0.05). Therefore, caffeic acid, as a preservative, is favorable for elongation of the shelf-life, maintenance of the quality and inhibition of fruit decay in mulberries. This study is greatly informative to mulberry growers and commercial sellers. Key words: Caffeic acid, mulberry fruits, cold storage, postharvest quality.
Highlights
Mulberries (Morus alba L.) are sweet and juicy fruits
On the 21st days of the storage, the mulberries treated with 0.20 g/L caffeic acid had the highest level of anthocyanin compared with the remaining treatments
On the 21st day of the storage, vitamin C content in the mulberries treated with 0.20 g/L caffeic acid was the highest (258.61 mg/100 g) among the treatments, and extensively higher than that in the control (166.44 mg/100 g)
Summary
Mulberries (Morus alba L.) are sweet and juicy fruits. The berries contain rich nutrients of sugars, proteins, vitamins and minerals, and abundant antioxidants of anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids (Heinonen et al, 1998).Cold storage can slow down the respiration of fruit and inhibit the reproduction of microorganism on fruits and vegetables (Saltveit and Morris, 1990). Mulberries (Morus alba L.) are sweet and juicy fruits. The berries contain rich nutrients of sugars, proteins, vitamins and minerals, and abundant antioxidants of anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids (Heinonen et al, 1998). Cold storage can slow down the respiration of fruit and inhibit the reproduction of microorganism on fruits and vegetables (Saltveit and Morris, 1990). A successful cooling storage needs to ensure that the quality of the commodities is maintained desirable until they reach consumers (Formerhead, 2005). Low temperature effectively reduces enzyme activity and inhibits growth of microorganisms (Leccese et al, 2010). During the postharvest periods of mulberries, prompt cooling and favorable temperature (e.g., -1 to 4°C) are very important
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