Improving fresh apricot ( Prunus armeniaca L.) quality and antioxidant capacity by storage at near freezing temperature

Abstract

Abstract Near freezing temperature (NFT) storage was firstly used to improve the quality of fresh apricot. Our results showed that both low-mature and medium-mature apricots could be preserved for 90 d by NFT storage, and still maintained better edible quality and consumer acceptability. Storage at NFT could delay the fruit senescence of apricots by suppressing ethylene production and respiration rate. The soluble solids content of medium-mature apricot stored at NFT was 106.5%, the ascorbic acid was 111.9% and the decay rate was 30.2% of that of apricot stored at 0 °C at the 60th day. In addition, NFT storage enabled apricot to delay the onset of the peak value of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, and maintained higher values in the fruit at end of the storage. NFT storage can be considered as a storage technology for improving storage quality and antioxidant capacity of fresh apricot.