Abstract
The use of chemicals in postharvest technology of horticultural crops is highly restricted and it is necessary to introduce safe food preserving methods. Strawberry is very susceptible to postharvest losses and more than 50% of harvested fruit is lost in Iran. Effect of postharvest treatment with methyl jasmonate (at 0, 8, and 16 μmol L−1) on some quality attributes of Sabrosa strawberry fruit during storage at 1 ± 0.5°C with 90–95% RH for 14 days followed by 24 h at 20°C was studied. Methyl jasmonate, at both concentrations, decreased weight loss and retained marketability of fruits. Catalase activity of treated fruits was decreased during the first days, but showed a substantial increase during the second week. Methyl jasmonate, in a concentration‐dependent manner, enhanced peroxidase activity. Fruit total antioxidant capacity was enhanced by methyl jasmonate treatment. The results indicated that methyl jasmonate plays a key role in establishing resistance against stresses, enhancing fruit defense systems, antioxidant capacity, and storage life leading to decreased postharvest losses. This phytochemical has a good potential to be used in postharvest technology of Sabrosa strawberry fruit and enhance the fruit postharvest life.
Highlights
Active oxygen species (AOS) and free radicals are the major players in aging and diseases like inflammation, arthritis, immune system impairment, different cancers, and heart disease, and much more focus has been given to the involvement of antioxidants in free radical scavenging and related senescence, and diseases prevention (Cai et al 2004; Kaefer and Milner 2008; Huang et al 2010)
The aging and senescence process in plant cells is highly related to free radicals and AOS, and several antioxidants are responsible for detoxifying the plant cells from these dangerous agents
Strawberry fruit is a rich source of natural antioxidants and phytochemicals, anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and ellagic acid, which have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions and essential minerals making it as one of the most commercial horticultural crops (Rice-E vans and Miller 1996; Heinonen et al 1998)
Summary
Active oxygen species (AOS) and free radicals are the major players in aging and diseases like inflammation, arthritis, immune system impairment, different cancers, and heart disease, and much more focus has been given to the involvement of antioxidants in free radical scavenging and related senescence, and diseases prevention (Cai et al 2004; Kaefer and Milner 2008; Huang et al 2010). Since natural antioxidants are more readily acceptable than the synthetic ones, fruits containing high antioxidants are of more commercial importance. Strawberry fruit is a rich source of natural antioxidants and phytochemicals, anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and ellagic acid, which have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions and essential minerals making it as one of the most commercial horticultural crops (Rice-E vans and Miller 1996; Heinonen et al 1998). Fresh juice of strawberries has high oxygen radical absorbance activity against peroxyl radicals (ROO*), superoxide radicals (O*2−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radicals (OH*), and singlet oxygen (*O2), and it is well demonstrated that the antioxidant activity is different among varieties (Wang and Jiao 2000)
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