Effect of Near-Freezing Temperature Storage on the Quality and Organic Acid Metabolism of Apple Fruit

Chang Shu, Bangdi Liu, Handong Zhao, Kuanbo Cui and Weibo Jiang ()
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Chang Shu: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Bangdi Liu: Academy of Agricultural Planning and Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100125, China
Handong Zhao: School of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan 250353, China
Kuanbo Cui: Agricultural Mechanization Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, China
Weibo Jiang: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-15

Abstract: Organic acids play critical roles in fruit physiological metabolism and sensory quality. However, the conventional storage of apple fruit at 0 ± 0.1 °C cannot maintain fruit acidity efficiently. This study investigated near-freezing temperature (NFT) storage for ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, and the quality parameters, organic acid content, and malate metabolism were studied. The results indicate that NFT storage at −1.7 ± 0.1 °C effectively maintained the postharvest quality of apple fruit when compared to traditional storage at 0 ± 0.1 °C. Fruit that underwent NFT storage showed a better appearance and lower respiratory rate, ethylene production, weight loss, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content but higher firmness and soluble solids content. Further, fruit after NFT storage contained higher titratable acid (18.75%), malate (51.61%), citrate (36.59%), and succinate (2.12%) content when compared to the control after 250 days. This was achieved by maintaining higher cytosolic NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase (cyNAD-MDH), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), vacuolar H + -ATPase (V-ATPase), and vacuolar inorganic pyrophosphatase (V-PPase) activities that promote malate biosynthesis and accumulation while inhibiting enzyme activity that is responsible for malate decomposition, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase kinase (PEPCK) as well as the cytosolic NAD phosphate-dependent malic enzyme (cyNADP-ME). Further, storage at NFTs maintained a higher expression of malate biosynthesis-related genes ( MdcyNAD-MDH and MdPEPC ) and transport-related genes ( MdVHA and MdVHP ) while suppressing malate consumption-related genes ( MdcyME and MdPEPCK ). The results demonstrate that NFT storage could be an effective application for apple fruit, which maintains postharvest quality and alleviates organic acid degradation.

Keywords: Malus domestica Borkh.; ice temperature; postharvest quality; malate metabolism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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