Preharvest salicylic acid and acetylsalicylic acid treatments preserve quality and enhance antioxidant systems during postharvest storage of sweet cherry cultivars

BACKGROUND Sweet cherries are much appreciated by consumers as a result of their organoleptic quality attributes and antioxidant properties, although they deteriorate rapidly after harvest. Different preharvest strategies have been carried out to increase their quality at the time of harvest. We pre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2017-03, Vol.97 (4), p.1220-1228
Main Authors: Giménez, M José, Serrano, María, Valverde, Juan Miguel, Martínez‐Romero, Domingo, Castillo, Salvador, Valero, Daniel, Guillén, Fabián
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture - methods
anthocyanins
Anthocyanins - metabolism
antioxidant activity
antioxidant enzymes
Antioxidants
Antioxidants - metabolism
Ascorbate Peroxidases - metabolism
Ascorbic Acid - metabolism
Aspirin
Catalase - metabolism
Color
colour
Cultivars
Enzymes
firmness
Food Handling
Food Preservation - methods
Food quality
Food Storage
Fruit - metabolism
Fruit - standards
Hardness
Humans
Oxidation-Reduction
Peroxidase - metabolism
phenolics
Phenols - metabolism
Prunus
Salicylic Acid
Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism
Taste
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Summary:BACKGROUND Sweet cherries are much appreciated by consumers as a result of their organoleptic quality attributes and antioxidant properties, although they deteriorate rapidly after harvest. Different preharvest strategies have been carried out to increase their quality at the time of harvest. We present data regarding the effect of preharvest salicylic acid (SA) and acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) treatments on sweet cherry quality during postharvest storage. RESULTS At harvest and during postharvest storage, sweet cherry fruits (‘Sweet Heart’, ‘Sweet Late’ and ‘Lapins’) from SA (0.5 mmol L−1) and ASA (1 mmol L−1) treated trees had a higher colour (lower chroma index), firmness, total soluble solids, total phenolics, total anthocyanins and hydrophilic total antioxidant activity. In addition, the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase was also enhanced in SA‐ and ASA‐treated cherries. CONCLUSION Both SA and ASA preharvest treatments could be promising tools for improving sweet cherry quality at harvest and after storage, with an additional effect on delaying the postharvest ripening process by increasing the levels of antioxidant compounds and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
ISSN:0022-5142
1097-0010
DOI:10.1002/jsfa.7853