Preharvest treatments with salicylates enhance nutrient and antioxidant compounds in plum at harvest and after storage

BACKGROUND Previous reports have addressed the effectiveness of salicylic acid (SA), acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and methylsalicylate (MeSA) postharvest treatments on maintaining quality properties during storage in several commodities. However, there is no literature regarding the effect of preharve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2018-05, Vol.98 (7), p.2742-2750
Main Authors: Martínez‐Esplá, Alejandra, Zapata, Pedro J, Valero, Daniel, Martínez‐Romero, Domingo, Díaz‐Mula, Huertas M, Serrano, María
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylsalicylic acid
Acidity
Anthocyanins
Antioxidants
Antioxidants - analysis
Bioactive compounds
Carotenoids
Cold storage
Commodities
Cryopreservation
Firmness
Food Preservation - methods
Food Storage
Fruit - chemistry
Fruit - drug effects
Fruit - growth & development
individual phenolics
methylsalicylic acid
Nutritive Value
Organic acids
Plums
Prunus domestica - chemistry
Prunus domestica - drug effects
Prunus domestica - growth & development
Quality management
Ripening
Salicylates
Salicylic acid
Salicylic Acid - pharmacology
Sugar
sugars
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Summary:BACKGROUND Previous reports have addressed the effectiveness of salicylic acid (SA), acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and methylsalicylate (MeSA) postharvest treatments on maintaining quality properties during storage in several commodities. However, there is no literature regarding the effect of preharvest treatments with salicylates on plum quality attributes (at harvest or after long‐term cold storage), which was evaluated in this research. RESULTS At harvest, weight, firmness, individual organic acids, sugars, phenolics, anthocyanins and total carotenoids were found at higher levels in plums from SA‐, ASA‐ and MeSA‐treated trees than in those from controls. During storage, softening, colour changes and acidity losses were delayed in treated fruits as compared to controls. In addition, organic acids and antioxidant compounds were still found at higher levels in treated than in control plums after 40 days of storage. Results show a delay in the postharvest ripening process due to salicylate treatments, which could be attributed to their effect in delaying and decreasing ethylene production. CONCLUSION Preharvest treatment with salicylates could be a safety, eco‐friendly and new tool to improve (at harvest) and maintain (during storage) plum quality and especially its content of bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties, increasing the health effects of plum consumption. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
ISSN:0022-5142
1097-0010
DOI:10.1002/jsfa.8770