title: High- but not low-intensity light leads to oxidative stress and quality loss of cold-stored baby leaf spinach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quality management in the fresh produce industry is an important issue. Spinach is exposed to various adverse conditions (temperature, light, etc.) within the supply chain. The present experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of light conditions (dark, low-intensity light (LL) and high-intensity light (HL)) and photoperiod (6 h HL and 18 h dark) on the quality changes of cold-stored spinach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HL exposure resulted in oxidative stress, causing tissue damage and quality loss as evidenced by increased membrane damage and water loss. The content of total ascorbic acid was reduced under HL conditions. On the other hand, storage of spinach under LL conditions gave promising results, as nutritional quality was not reduced, while texture maintenance was improved. No significant differences, with the exception of nutritional quality, were found between spinach leaves stored under continuous (24 h) low-intensity light (30-35 µmol m(-2) s(-1)) and their counterparts stored under the same light integral over 6 h (130-140 µmol m(-2) s(-1)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LL extended the shelf-life of spinach. The amount of light received by the leaves was the key factor affecting produce quality. Light intensity, however, has to be low enough not to cause excess oxidative stress and lead to accelerated senescence.
authors.affiliation: Crop and Environment Sciences Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, TF10 8NB, UK.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glowacz
authors.affiliation: Crop and Environment Sciences Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, TF10 8NB, UK.
authors.forename: Lars M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mogren
authors.affiliation: Crop and Environment Sciences Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, TF10 8NB, UK.
authors.forename: John P H
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Reade
authors.affiliation: Crop and Environment Sciences Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, TF10 8NB, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cobb
authors.affiliation: Crop and Environment Sciences Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, TF10 8NB, UK.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Monaghan
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000528:radiation effects; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004739:England; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018857:Food Packaging; D063427:Food Quality; D061353:Food Storage; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light / Q000009:adverse effects; D009753:Nutritive Value; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012034:Refrigeration; D018724:Spinacia oleracea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D014867:Water; D002338:Carotenoids; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: ascorbic acid; colour evaluation; light intensity; membrane integrity; shelf-life; spinach