title: Prestorage oxalic acid treatment maintained visual quality, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant potential of pomegranate after long-term storage at 2 degrees C.
abstract: Oxalic acid at three concentrations (2, 4, and 6 mM) was applied by dipping to pomegranate fruits of cv. Mollar de Elche, which were then stored for 84 days at 2 degrees C. Pomegranate is a chilling-sensitive fruit and, thus, control fruits exhibited chilling injury (CI) symptoms after long-term storage at 2 degrees C that were accompanied by increased respiration rate, weight loss, and electrolyte leakage (EL). The CI symptoms were significantly reduced by oxalic acid treatment, especially for the 6 mM concentration. In addition, control pomegranates showed significant reduction in the content of total phenolics and ascorbic acid as well as in total antioxidant activity (TAA), in both hydrophilic (H-TAA) and lipophilic (L-TAA) fractions. The application of oxalic acid led to lower losses of total phenolics and significant increase in both ascorbic acid content and H-TAA, whereas L-TAA remained unaffected. Thus, oxalic acid could be a promising postharvest treatment to alleviate CI and increase antioxidant potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, EPSO, University Miguel Hernández, Ctra Beniel km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sayyari
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valero
authors.forename: Mesbah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babalar
authors.forename: Siamak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalantari
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Zapata
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serrano
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D005511:Food Handling; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D019815:Oxalic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D019815:Oxalic Acid; D001205:Ascorbic Acid