Fresh-cut Apple Slices Research Articles

Monitoring the Shelf-Life of Minimally Processed Fresh-Cut Apple Slices By Physical Chemical Analysis and Electronic Nose

Fresh-cut apples, in slices or in cubes, are minimally processed products, which are currently collecting a great interest by fruit marketers for their promising diffusion. Their shelf life, from a microbiological point of view, has been fixed about 2 or 3 weeks under refrigeration. However in a few days they undergo biochemical degradations with production of off-flavors and texture breakdown. In this work, the change of aromatic fingerprint of apple slices packaged in air and in a modified atmosphere (with 100% N2) and stored at 4°C was measured, by using a commercial electronic nose. The obtained data were also compared with sensory evaluation of judge’s panel. Moreover, quality parameters such as total acidity, total soluble solids and firmness were determined at different storage times (0, 4, 8 and 12 days). The data show that the electronic nose is able to discriminate between the two different storage conditions applied: the multivariate analysis, Principal Component Analysis, presents clearly differences among the four sampling times when the apple slices are stored in air and in N2. Our results indicate that the electronic nose can be considered a valid supplementary tool to human sensory panel assessment especially in food quality safety and control and it can be a simple, objective and rapid method to control the food quality during the storage.

Characterizing the Variability of Enzymatic Browning in Fresh-Cut Apple Slices

Browning reaction variability in apple slices was characterized using a new procedure denominating the differential pixel method. Using this method, a kinetic rate and an empirical order of reaction were derived for each pixel in an image corresponding to a sliced apple surface undergoing browning; each pixel in the image can be seen as a small portion of the fruit. In the experiments, 40 samples of fresh-cut apple slice were put on a computer vision system and images recorded over time at a room temperature of 5 °C. Data was fitted to the Weibullian model kinetic. Results confirmed strong heterogeneity in the values of enzymatic browning kinetic rate on the apple surface; this variability was characterized as a normal logarithmical distribution, with a mean rate kinetic value of the −0.0117 ± 0.0036 units of L* decayed per minute. The empirical order of reaction was distributed on the surface following a normal statistical distribution with a mean equal to 0.451 ± 0.046. No statistical differences were established in the kinetic rate and in the empirical order when the differential pixel method was compared with the traditional method (where a mean of the L* intensity value was used).

Nitric Oxide Inhibition of Alcohol Dehydrogenase in Fresh-Cut Apples (Malus domestica Borkh)

The effects of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrite treatment on alcohol dehydrogenase activity and the shelf life of apple tissue were investigated. Fresh-cut apple slices were stored for 2 days at 6 °C in 0.25-1% NO (v/v, balance N2) or 100% N2 atmospheres. Slices were also treated with 1% NO or 2 mM sodium nitrite (NaNO2) for 20 min, stored for 6 weeks in 100% N2 at 6 °C, and analyzed for acetaldehyde, ethanol, and ethyl acetate accumulation, firmness, and color. Compared with N2 or deionized water controls, treatment with 1% NO or 2 mM NaNO2 inhibited ethanol accumulation, whereas that of acetaldehyde increased. Ethyl acetate accumulation was inhibited only by NO. Slice firmness was not affected by NO or NaNO2 treatment, but slices were darker than the untreated controls. NO and nitrite may extend the shelf life of fresh-cut produce with low concentrations of phenolic compounds.

Antioxidant, Antibrowning, and Cytoprotective Activities of Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume Extract

The antioxidant, antibrowning, and cytoprotective activities of Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume extract (LRE) were investigated and the main antioxidant component was isolated and identified. With its high content of phenols and flavonoids, the LRE showed remarkable antioxidant capacity to scavenge free radicals in vitro and to inhibit oil oxidation in a peanut oil system. Moreover, LRE was observed to inhibit tyrosinase action and browning of fresh-cut apple slices effectively. Furthermore, the cytoprotective activity of LRE was evaluated in a human intestine model using Caco-2 cell lines. According to the activity-guided isolation and identification, by using column chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses, ursolic acid was characterized as the main antioxidant component of LRE; it showed the strongest free radical-scavenging activity. The results suggested that L. robustum (Rxob.) Blume could be a new resource for preparing functional food and nutraceutical products for use in food and pharmacology industries.

Maintaining quality of fresh-cut apple slices using calcium ascorbate and stored under modified atmosphere

Tissue browning and softening are the main concerns associated with fresh-cut apples. In this study, effects of calcium ascorbate and NatureSeal® on quality parameters of apple slices were investigated. Changes in browning, colour, firmness, and enzymatic activity were measured. Results showed that NatureSeal® had significant effect on controlling browning of cut apples because of the maintained higher Lightness values compared to calcium ascorbate samples. NatureSeal® also inhibited surface browning and reduced firmness loss. The application of NatureSeal® could be used to reduce deteriorative processes, maintain quality, and increase the shelf-life of fresh-cut apple stored at 4 °C.

Effect of nitric oxide (NO) and associated control treatments on the metabolism of fresh-cut apple slices in relation to development of surface browning

Surface browning is an important cause of deterioration of fresh-cut apples during postharvest handling. ‘Granny Smith’ apple slices treated with NO gas (10μL/L) and the NO donor compound 2,2′-(hydroxynitrosohydrazino)-bisethanamine (diethylenetriamine nitric oxide (DETANO) (10mg/L) dissolved in phosphate buffer (pH 6.5) showed delayed development of surface browning during storage at 5°C and also resulted in a lower level of total phenols, inhibition of PPO activity, reduced ion leakage and reduced rate of respiration but had no significant effect on ethylene production or lipid peroxide level as measured by malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide levels. The two control treatments of phosphate buffer (pH 6.5) and water dips also had significant effects compared to untreated slices. The relative effectiveness of treatments in extending postharvest life and reducing total phenols, PPO activity, ion leakage and respiration was DETANO>NO gas>phosphate buffer>water>untreated. Apple slices dipped in chlorogenic acid dissolved in water showed surface browning soon after application but dipping in DETANO solution negated the effect of chlorogenic acid whether applied before or after dipping in chlorogenic acid solution while the buffer and NO gas were also effective. It is suggested that an increase in phenols occurs on the apple surface soon after cutting, possibly as a defensive mechanism of the apple to limit damage to surface cells. The effectiveness of the applied treatments to inhibit development of surface browning may relate to their ability to minimize the level of phenols active on the cut surface possibly in conjunction with a reduced PPO activity.

Effects of 1‐methylcyclopropene and post‐controlled atmosphere air storage treatments on fresh‐cut Ambrosia apple slices

The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment and two different post-controlled atmosphere air storage (PCAAS) durations on the quality and chemistry of fresh-cut Ambrosia apple slices was studied. PCAAS for 1 or 2 weeks prior to slicing had an overall positive effect on the resultant quality of fresh-cut apple slices. The most significant responses to PCAAS were the suppression of both phenolic and o-quinone accumulation in slices, and this was related to the significantly lower browning potential values obtained for slices from PCAAS-treated apples. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) activities were not affected by 1-MCP or PCAAS treatments. PPO and POX activities were almost completely inhibited by a 50 g L⁻¹ calcium ascorbate anti-browning dip of apple slices from all treatments. The most dramatic effect of the PCAAS treatments was to reduce the accumulation of soluble phenolics, which is likely the reason that o-quinone accumulation was also inhibited in treated fruits. The consequent reduction in browning potential may be the explanation as to why PCAAS treatment has been shown to reduce fresh apple slice browning in previous work.

Evaluation of Food Protective Property of Five Natural Products using Fresh-cut Apple Slice Model

The present study evaluated the antioxidant (AA), antimicrobial and preservation effects of five plant derived natural products viz., Rosmarinic Acid (RA), p-Coumaric Acid (pCA), Trans-Cinnamic Acid (TCA), Hydroxyphenyllactic Acid (HPA) and Caffeic acid (CA) along with synthetic compounds (Ascorbic acid, gallic acid, citric acid and BHA) on fresh cut apple slices. Antimicrobial efficacy of these compounds against Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas vulgaris, Shigella boydii, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli was found to be concentration dependent with the maximum inhibition observed at 500 microg mL(-1). A considerable AA potential of these compounds was observed in in vitro based assay system, with RA exhibiting significantly higher effect than the other compounds at 500 microg mL(-1). Furthermore the compounds at 500 microg mL(-1) significantly reduced the browning, maintained the acidic pH and restricted growth of L. monocytogenes even after 10 days of treatment. Ethanol accumulation in fresh cut apple slices increased significantly throughout the experimental period. Over all RA exhibited maximum effect in all the food preservation parameters studied suggesting that it has synchronized food protection effect and can be recommended as food additive.

Antibacterial Property of Active Packaging of Microencapsulated Cinnamon Oil Combined with ZnO-Coated PVC Film

In this investigation, antibacterial property of active packaging of microencapsulated cinnamon oil combined with ZnO-coated PVC film was investigated. Microencapsulated cinnamon oil was prepared by simple coacervation and the morphology of microencapsulation was also analyzed by SEM. Result also showed that microencapsulated cinnamon oil and ZnO-coated PVC film exhibited good antibacterial activities against E. coli and S. aureus. In vivo fruit test, the active packaging of microencapsulated cinnamon oil combined with ZnO-coated PVC film showed good inhibition property the growth of bacteria on the surface of fresh-cut apple slices.

Antibrowning and Antimicrobial Activities of the Water‐Soluble Extract from Pine Needles of Cedrus deodara

The antibrowning and antimicrobial activities of the water-soluble extract from pine needles of Cedrus deodara (CDE), a traditional Chinese medicine and raw materials of pine needle tea, was investigated. Total phenols of CDE were 31.4 ± 0.53 mg gallic acid equivalent/g, and total flavonoids were 23.1 ± 0.79 mg rutin equivalent/g. CDE showed a strong antioxidant activity against ABTS free radicals with IC(50) (the half-inhibitory concentration) of 25.5 ± 0.64 μg/mL. In mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory assay, IC(50) values were 2.1 ± 0.98 and 2.27 ± 0.93 mg/mL for monophenolase and diphenolase, respectively. Evaluated by detecting changes of L* (indicated the darkness of sample), a* (indicated the redness of sample), and b* (indicated the yellowness of sample) values in fresh-cut apple slices model, CDE showed a significant antibrowning effect when compared with ascorbic acid. In addition, it was discovered that CDE in combination with 0.5% ascorbic acid exhibited a synergistic antibrowning effect. Meanwhile, CDE was observed to show a potent antimicrobial effect on all of the tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In conclusion, the results of the present research suggested that pine needles of C. deodara could be used as a natural resource of antibrowning and antimicrobial agents in food preservation. The present study provides a theoretical basis for the potential application of pine needles of C. deodara to be used as a natural resource of antibrowning and antimicrobial agents in food industry.

A multispectral vision system to evaluate enzymatic browning in fresh-cut apple slices

The main objective of this study was to develop a vision system that is able to classify fresh-cut apple slices according to the development of enzymatic browning. The experiment was carried out on ‘Granny Smith’ apple slices stored at 7.5 °C for 9 days ( n = 120). Twenty-four samples were analyzed per day: at zero time and after storage for 1, 3, 7 and 9 days, which corresponds to treatments t 0, t 1, t 3, t 7 and t 9 respectively. Multispectral images were acquired from the samples by employing a 3-CCD camera centered at the infrared (IR, 800 nm), red (R, 680 nm) and blue (B, 450 nm) wavelengths. Apple slices were evaluated visually according to a visual color scale of 1–5 (where 1 corresponds to fresh samples without any browning and 5 to samples with severe discoloration), to obtain a sensory evaluation index ( I SE ) for each sample. Finally, for each sample and for each treatment, visible (VIS) relative reflectance spectra (360–740 nm) were obtained. In order to identify the most related wavelengths to enzymatic browning evolution, unsupervised pattern recognition analysis of VIS reflectance spectra was performed by principal components analysis (PCA) on the autoscaled data. Maximum loading values corresponding to the B and R areas were observed. Therefore, a classification procedure was applied to the relative histograms of the following monochromatic images (virtual images), which were computed pixel by pixel: (R − B)/(R + B), R − B and B/R. In all cases, a non-supervised classification procedure was able to generate three image-based browning reference classes (BRC): Cluster A (corresponding to the t 0 samples), Cluster B ( t 1 and t 3 samples) and Cluster C ( t 7 and t 9 samples). An internal and an external validation ( n = 120) were carried out, and the best classifications were obtained with the (R − B)/(R + B) and B/R image histograms (internal validation: 99.2% of samples correctly classified for both virtual images; external validation: 84% with (R − B)/(R + B) and 81% with B/R). The camera classification was evaluated according to the colorimetric measurements, which were usually utilized to evaluate enzymatic browning development (CIE L* a* b* color parameters and browning index, BI) and according to I SE . For both validation phases a*, b*, BI and I SE increased while L* values decreased with image-based class number, thereby reflecting their browning state.

QUALITY OF FRESH-CUT APPLE SLICES IS MODULATED BY SHORT TERM POST-CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE AIR STORAGE OF WHOLE FRUIT

Experiments were conducted over three years to determine if the quality and shelf life of fresh-cut apple slices were influenced by the length of time apples were held in air storage after removal from commercial controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. 'Spartan', 'Delicious', Ambrosia™ and 'Royal Gala' apples were picked from research plots or commercial orchards and then placed into commercial controlled atmosphere storage for up to six months. Upon removal from storage, apples were divided into three lots. The first lot was immediately sliced, dipped, and stored for up to three weeks in modified atmosphere packages. The second lot was held for two weeks in air storage and then sliced, dipped and stored. The third lot was held in air storage for four weeks and then sliced, dipped, and stored. Quality and shelf life analysis showed that whole fruit respiration and ethylene evolution increased with time in post-CA air storage (PCAAS). Firmness was only slightly reduced with time in PCAAS and nutritional value was not affected. Despite the application of anti-browning dip after slicing, browning of slices was reduced by time in PCAAS. Secondary browning and slice breakdown were reduced with two weeks PCAAS, but they increased again when apples were held for four weeks in PCAAS. These results suggest that a two week PCAAS period is a potential management tool for optimizing the quality and shelf life of fresh-cut apple slices.

Development of potentially synbiotic fresh-cut apple slices

The aim of this study was, to develop potentially synbiotic fresh-cut apple wedges by applying probiotic bacteria ( Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) and prebiotics in the form of oligofructose and inulin. An assessment of the quality, sensory, polyphenol and volatile attributes of synbiotic and probiotic samples was also undertaken. Fructan analysis showed that all prebiotics remained stable over the 14 days storage period and an intake of 100 g of apple supplies 2–3 g of prebiotics. All samples sets contained ca. 10 8 cfu/g over the test period, which is sufficient for a probiotic effect, and is comparable to counts of probiotic bacteria in commercially available dairy products. Browning index, firmness, acidity and dry matter remained stable throughout the 14 days compared to the control while applying prebiotic coatings resulted in an increase in soluble solids. Sensory assessment indicated acceptable quality of probiotic and synbiotic apple wedges. HPLC analysis showed levels of decrease in polyphenolic compounds. No difference was found between O 2 and CO 2 headspace concentration and volatile production of synbiotic samples and samples only treated with probiotics.

Quality of fresh-cut apple slices stored in solid and micro-perforated film packages having contrasting O 2 headspace atmospheres

This research explored the quality differences for fresh-cut apple slices packaged in two packaging systems having contrasting steady-state headspace O 2 atmospheres. The first film was a solid multi-layered polyolefin film (SF) which established a steady-state headspace atmosphere of high CO 2 and low O 2. The second was an ultra micro-perforated (MP) film which produces a headspace atmosphere consisting of high CO 2 and high O 2. The resultant fruit quality was assessed in fresh-cut ‘Gala’ apple slices for fruit sourced from the northern hemisphere (NH) (British Columbia, Canada) and southern hemisphere (SH) (Chile). Fruit were washed, sliced and dipped in an anti-browning solution, prior to packaging and storing at 5 °C, for up to 21 d. Package headspace compositions were determined using ethylene, CO 2, and O 2 concentration. Volatile analyses (straight chain esters, branched esters, terpenes, alcohols, estragole, other-volatiles, total-volatiles) were conducted on the headspace for the SH slices by gas chromatography. Quality attributes (soluble solids concentration, titratable acidity, color, and relative juice loss) were assessed at 0, 4, 7, 14, and 21 d. Sensory analysis was conducted on day 14. Ten experienced judges evaluated 5 sensory attributes (fruit aroma, fruitiness-by-mouth, sweetness sourness, hardness) and 1 visual attribute (degree-of-browning); whereas, 20 judges assessed overall preference. Apple slices in the MP packages had less juice loss and higher concentrations of estragole, straight chain esters, total and other-volatiles. MP apple slices had significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) higher fruity aroma, fruitiness-buy-mouth, perceived sweetness and better textural characteristics, as perceived by the sensory panel. These superior fruit quality characteristics were attributed to lower ethylene concentrations and high CO 2 and high O 2 levels generated from the MP film.

Effects of calcium ascorbate treatments and storage atmosphere on antioxidant activity and quality of fresh-cut apple slices

Fresh-cut ‘Braeburn’ apple slices were dipped in calcium ascorbate (CaAsc; 0, 2, 6, 12 and 20%, w/w) and stored in air or under modified atmosphere (MA) conditions for up to 28 d at 4 °C. Changes in antioxidant levels were measured using free radical scavenging activity (DPPH), reducing activity (FRAP), ascorbic acid content (AA) and polyphenolic content (by HPLC). Changes in browning, sensory quality and microbial counts were measured to indicate eating quality. CaAsc dips increased the initial levels of AA from 0.19 g kg −1 in the untreated control to 3.8 g kg −1 for the 20% CaAsc treatment. Ascorbic acid content of treated slices during storage decreased by more than 50% in CaAsc concentrations of 6, 12 and 20%. Similar patterns were observed for FRAP and DPPH activities. Untreated or 2% CaAsc treated slices stored in air or MA showed browning, microbial deterioration and poor sensory quality, thus resulting in a short shelf life (<7 d). However, apples dipped in 6 or 12% CaAsc and stored in MA packaging, or dipped in 20% CaAsc and packaged in air or MA had a shelf life of 21–28 d. Total antioxidant activity in these treatments was provided by both exogenous ascorbic acid and endogenous phenolic compounds; the latter varied in composition, but were relatively stable during storage compared with ascorbate in higher CaAsc concentration treatments. Thus, the antioxidant levels (as measured by FRAP and DPPH) were related to shelf life and it appears that an antioxidant activity remaining above 2 g kg −1 (DPPH or FRAP) may be a minimum level to achieve long shelf life in ‘Braeburn’ apple slices.

Effect of short‐term air storage after removal from controlled‐atmosphere storage on apple and fresh‐cut apple quality

One of the realities of apple distribution for long-term stored fruit is that a controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage room will be unsealed and fruit held in air storage and marketed over several weeks. This work was conducted to determine the effect of post-CA air storage of whole fruit on potential shelf life for fresh-cut apple slices. Fresh-cut slices of 'Spartan' and 'Delicious' apples held in post-CA air storage for 2 or 4 weeks showed the least changes in cut surface color as compared with those made from apples immediately on removal from CA. Shelf life was most improved by post-CA air storage in the 'Spartan' apples, which were more advanced in maturity as compared with the 'Delicious' apples. Internal ethylene concentration, firmness, and respiration changed significantly with post-CA air storage, suggesting a relationship between physiological status of the whole fruit and shelf life of slices made from that fruit. The results support the hypothesis that apples had suppressed physiological activity in CA storage and are susceptible to accelerated deterioration upon cutting. Holding fruit for 2 weeks in air storage allowed recovery of physiological activity, which resulted in greater resistance to deterioration in response to fresh-cut processing.

Evaluation of fresh-cut apple slices enriched with probiotic bacteria

Abstract The aim of this study was to apply a probiotic microorganism ( Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG; LGG) to fresh-cut apple wedges (cultivar Braeburn ) and measure entrapment and stability of the microorganism. Instrumental eating quality parameters (Colour Lab, texture, soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH) and sensory acceptability were also monitored to investigate if application of the probiotic significantly influenced eating quality. Apple samples were cut into skin-on wedges and were dipped in an edible buffer solution containing approximately 10 10 cfu/ml of LGG. LGG were enumerated on each test day (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10) on whole wedges, on wedges flushed with a buffer solution (2% tri-sodium citrate), and on the flush-off liquid itself. All three samples sets contained ca. 10 8 cfu/g over the test period, which is sufficient for a probiotic effect, and is comparable to counts of probiotic bacteria in commercially available dairy products. This included the sample set of wedges which had been flushed with buffer solution indicating good adherence of the bacteria over the test period. Physicochemical properties of the apple wedges containing LGG compared to the control remained stable over the 10 day period. Cryo scanning electron microscopy and confocal scanning laser microscopy demonstrated good adherence of LGG to the surface of apple wedges. Industrial relevance Probiotic dairy foods, e.g. yoghurts, are well recognised by most consumers and command a significant market share. However, many people are allergic or intolerant to dairy products and an alternative option is desirable. Minimally processed freshly prepared fruits are a popular item and are perceived as healthy by consumers. They are therefore an ideal vehicle for incorporation of other functional components such as probiotics. Therefore, a probiotic bacterium was applied to fresh-cut apple wedges. This will provide an alternative probiotic food choice for consumers and could be particularly appealing to children. The process for making this product is relatively simple and the product would retail from the conventional chill counters of supermarket stores. It is likely that its price would be competitive with existing probiotic dairy products.

Inactivation of pectic lyases by light exposure in model systems and fresh-cut apple

Abstract UV-C light exposure caused the inactivation of pectin lyases from Aspergillus japonicus and pectate lyase from apple under non-thermal conditions. Samples exposed to 20 W m− 2 UV-C light showed DL values, defined as the time needed for 90% enzyme activity reduction, around 20 min. However, an initial activation phase was observed for fungin pectin lyase, while UV-C light resistant forms of pectate lyase were identified in apple. Lyase inactivation occurred as a consequence of enzyme cleavage into fragments without catalytic activity having MW around 5 kDa. Fresh-cut apple slices exposed for a few minutes to UV-C light resulted significantly firmer than the untreated ones during 4 days of refrigerated storage, reasonably due to the decrease in activity of both endogenous and microbial lyases on the surface of the wound apple tissue. Industrial relevance UV-C light blanching allows to non-thermally increase the enzymatic stability of the surface of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables.

Polyphenoloxidase inactivation by light exposure in model systems and apple derivatives

Abstract The effect of UV-C and visible light on the enzyme polyphenoloxidase was studied in model systems and food. Enzyme inactivation under non thermal conditions was achieved following both UV-C and visible light exposure. UV-C light promoted enzyme inactivation in the entire range of irradiance and exposure time tested whilst visible light was effective only at high doses since lower intensity treatments were associated to enzyme activation. Polyphenoloxidase inactivation upon UV-C light exposure occurred as a consequence of protein aggregations other than those derived from thermal denaturation. The possibility to apply UV-C light exposure to achieve enzymatic stability of clear apple juice and fresh-cut apple slices was studied. Polyphenoloxidase inactivation in apple juice occurred to the detriment of natural occurring phenols which independently underwent photo oxidation. However, UV-C light exposure for few min prevented enzymatic browning during storage of refrigerated apple slices. The latter resulted comparable to the untreated apple slices from the sensory point of view. Industrial relevance Light irradiation is very effective in promoting polyphenoloxidase inactivation. UV-C light treatment has a good potential of successful application to achieve enzymatic stability in fresh-cut vegetables under non thermal conditions.

Isolation of tyrosinase inhibitors from Artocarpus heterophyllus and use of its extract as antibrowning agent

A new furanoflavone, 7-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4-hydroxy-2-(2-hydroxy propan-2-yl)-2, 3-dihydrofuro(3, 2-g)chromen-5-one (artocarpfuranol, 1), together with 14 known compounds, dihydromorin (2), steppogenin (3), norartocarpetin (4), artocarpanone (5), artocarpesin (6), artocarpin (7), cycloartocarpin (8), cycloartocarpesin (9), artocarpetin (10), brosimone I (11), cudraflavone B (12), carpachromene (13), isoartocarpesin (14), and cyanomaclurin (15) were isolated from the wood of Artocarpus heterophyllus. Their structures were identified by interpretation of MS,( 1)H-NMR,( 13)C-NMR, HMQC, and HMBC spectroscopic data. Among them, compounds 1-6 and 14 showed strong mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC(50) values lower than 50 microM, more potent than kojic acid (IC(50) = 71.6 microM), a well-known tyrosinase inhibitor. In addition, extract of A. heterophyllus was evaluated for its antibrowning effect on fresh-cut apple slices. It was discovered that fresh-cut apple slices treated by dipping in solution of 0.03 or 0.05% of A. heterophyllus extract with 0.5% ascorbic acid did not undergo any substantial browning reaction after storage at room temperature for 24 h. The antibrowning effect was significantly better than samples treated with the extract (0.03 or 0.05%) or ascorbic acid (0.5%) alone. The results provide preliminary evidence supporting the potential of this natural extract as antibrowning agent in food systems.