Impact of high-pressure on enzyme activity involved in enzymatic browning characteristics of fresh cut apple

Enzymatic browning reaction is the major problem in fresh cut fruit and vegetables during postharvest handling, causing the food to turn brown.
Enzymic browning requires the action of enzymes and oxidation to occur.
Apple fruit cells contain phenols and the phenolase enzyme, and when these are exposed to oxygen in the air through slicing, the oxygen causes a reaction.
The phenols transform into melanin by phenolase enzymes, which exhibit a brown color.
To stop or retard the oxidative reaction, the phenolase enzymes need to be inactivated.
High pressure processing (HPP) is an emerging non-thermal technology with minimum effect on the food original sensory, functional, and nutritional properties.
However, HPP can be inactivated by several oxidative enzymes responsible for the color, flavor, and texture deterioration in fruit.
High pressure (100 and 150 MPa) was applied for selected times (10 and 15 s) on apple fruits with and without pretreatment (mild heat at 55°C and 1000 ppm calcium lactate). And then, the treated apple with HPP and non-treated were sliced and were stored at 4°C for 10 days.
Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity was assessed before and after high pressure processing.
The results demonstrated that the PPO activities in apple fruit were decreased with all HPP treatments compared to control (non-HPP). Furthermore, the functional values of apple fruit including total flavonoid and ascorbic acid contents were investigated.
The results showed that HPP without heat treatment can maintain the fruit’s functional values and fresh characteristics.

IV Asian Horticultural Congress – AHC2023

J. Phakawan, R. Tepsorn

enzymatic browning, fresh cut apple, high pressure processing

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1404.53