Study on the browning mechanism of apple juice based on untargeted metabolomics

Junpeng Bao, Mengyi Li, Ziwei Liu, Shuhui Zhang, Longying Pei, Qiuru Yin, Gelin Lü, Litao Zhang, Heng Zhang, Jianli Ding and Jia Li
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Junpeng Bao: Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, P.R. China
Mengyi Li: Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, P.R. China
Ziwei Liu: Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, P.R. China
Shuhui Zhang: Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, P.R. China
Longying Pei: Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, P.R. China
Qiuru Yin: Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, P.R. China
Gelin Lü: Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, P.R. China
Litao Zhang: Aksu Tianci Trading Company Limited, Aksu, P.R. China
Heng Zhang: Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, P.R. China
Jianli Ding: Aksu Institute of Apple, Aksu, P.R. China
Jia Li: Aksu Institute of Apple, Aksu, P.R. China

Czech Journal of Food Sciences, vol. preprint

Abstract: Browning of apple juice is a major quality defect that occurs during storage, yet the molecular basis of the browning process remains unclear. This study utilised an untargeted metabolomics approach to investigate the untargeted metabolomic differences in Xinjiang Aksu sugarheart apple juice before and after 100 days of storage. Employing high-resolution liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF/MS), we identified 6 264 metabolites, with 1 588 significantly upregulated and 1 158 downregulated. Multivariate statistical analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), revealed that storage time was the primary factor affecting metabolic differences (PCA1 : 55.54%; OPLS-DA Q2Y = 0.971). Key findings suggest that browning is triggered by enzyme activation through tyrosine metabolism activation (substrate supply) and dopaquinone accumulation. Changes in transmembrane transport by ABC transporters also contribute to this process. Non-enzymatic browning is exacerbated by Maillard intermediate products and lipid peroxidation products. Simultaneously, disrupted glutathione metabolism and antioxidant system failure lead to redox imbalance. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated coordinated changes in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis (secondary metabolic polymerisation), alkaloid metabolism, and the pentose phosphate pathways. These results suggest that oxidative stress, cell membrane damage, and polyphenol metabolism disturbances are key drivers of apple juice browning, offering a molecular foundation for quality control in apple juice production.

Keywords: apple juice browning; oxidative stress; tyrosine metabolism; transmembrane transport; untargeted metabolomics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlcjf:v:preprint:id:87-2025-cjfs

DOI: 10.17221/87/2025-CJFS

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