Effects of dry fog humidification on pericarp browning and quality of litchi fruit stored at low temperature

Lu Xiao, Taotao Li, Guoxiang Jiang, Afiya John, Dandan Zhang, Wenyuan Jin, Xuewu Duan, Yueming Jiang

Abstract


Pericarp browning is the major cause of deterioration of harvested litchi fruit. Water loss plays a role in pericarp browning of litchi fruit. This study investigated the effects of humidification with dry fog on pericarp browning and quality of litchi fruit stored at low temperature. Litchi fruit were stored in a non-humidified cold chamber (control) or in a humidified cold room using Tabor atomizer system that generated 95% relative humidity (RH) without depositing water on the fruit surface at 4°C. Control fruit stored in cold room without added humidity underwent rapid weight loss, accompanied by severe pericarp browning after 25 d of storage. However, slight weight loss and no obvious pericarp browning were found in humidified-fruit. Moreover, humidification maintained well the integrity of cell membrane and inhibited polyphenol oxidase activity during early storage. In addition, respiration rate was obviously inhibited in humidified-fruit compared with control fruit. This study might provide a convenient approach to reduce pericarp browning of harvested litchi fruit by humidifying the fruit using the Tabor atomizer at low temperature instead of packaging with film.
Keywords: litchi, pericarp browning, dry fog, high relative humidity, cold storage
DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20191204.4420

Citation: Xiao L, Li T T, Jiang G X, John A, Zhang D D, Jin W Y, et al. Effects of dry fog humidification on pericarp browning and quality of litchi fruit stored at low temperature. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2019; 12(4): 192–196.

Keywords


litchi, pericarp browning, dry fog, high relative humidity, cold storage

Full Text:

PDF

References


Jiang Y M, Wang Y, Song L, Liu H, Lichter A, Kerdchoechuen O, et al. Postharvest characteristics and handling of litchi fruit - an overview. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 2006; 46(12): 1541–1556.

Reichel M, Triani R, Wellhoefer J, Sruamsiri P, Carle R, Neidhart S. Vital characteristics of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) pericarp that define postharvest concepts for Thai cultivars. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 2013; 6: 1191–1206.

Jiang Y M, Duan X W, Joyce D, Zhang Z Q, Li J R. Advances in understanding of enzymatic browning in harvested litchi fruit. Food Chemistry, 2004; 88(3): 443–446.

Fang F, Zhang X L, Luo H H, Zhou J J, Gong Y H, Li W J, et al. An intracellular laccase is responsible for epicatechin-mediated anthocyanin degradation in litchi fruit pericarp. Plant Physiology, 2015; 169(4): 2391–2408.

Jiang Y M, Fu J R. Postharvest browning of litchi fruit by water loss and its prevention by controlled atmosphere storage at high relative humidity. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und - Technologie, 1999; 32(5): 278–283.

Holcroft D M, Mitcham E J. Postharvest physiology and handling of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn). Postharvest Biology and Technology, 1996; 9(3): 265–281.

Pang X Q, Zhang Z Q, Duan X W, Ji Z L. The effect of pH and active oxygen on the stability of anthocyanin from lychee pericarp. Acta Horticulturae, 2001; 558: 339–342.

Underhill S J R, Bagshaw J, Prasad A, Zauberman G, Ronen R. The control of lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) postharvest skin browning using sulphur dioxide and low pH. Acta Horticulturae, 1992; 321: 732–741.

Pesis E, Dvir O, Feygenberg O, Arie R B, Ackerman M, Lichter A. Production of acetaldehyde and ethanol during maturation and modified atmosphere storage of litchi fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2002; 26(2): 157–165.

Kumari P, Barman K, Patel V B, Siddiqui M W, Kole B. Reducing postharvest pericarp browning and preserving health promoting compounds of litchi fruit by combination treatment of salicylic acid and chitosan.

Scientia Horticulturae, 2015; 197: 555–563.

Lin B F, Du Y M, Liang X Q, Wang X Y, Wang X H, Yang J H. Effect of chitosan coating on respiratory behavior and quality of stored litchi under ambient temperature. Journal of Food Engineering, 2011; 102(1): 94–99.

Wills R, McGlasson B, Graham D, Joyce D. Postharvest: An introduction to the physiology & handling of fruit, vegetables & ornamentals. CAB International, Wallingford Oxon, 1998.

Afek U, Orenstein J, Nuriel E. Using the tabor atomizer system to maintain weight and firmness in stored potato tubers. American Journal of Potato Research, 2000; 77(3): 203–205.

Hung D V, Tanaka F, Uchino T, Hiruma N. Using nanomist humidifier to maintain postharvest quality of fig (Ficus carica L.) fruit in high humidity sotrage environment. Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, 2011; 56(2): 361–365.

Ngammongkolrat A, Moutounet M, Pech J C. Pulp browning of french prunes-methods of measurement and types of reactions involved. Sciences des Aliments, 1985; 5: 393–405.

Jiang Y M. Role of anthocyanins, polyphenol oxidase and phenols in lychee pericarp browning. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2000; 80(3): 305–310.

Ray P K, Ruby R, Singh S K. Effect of sulphur dioxide fumigation and low temperature storage on post-harvest browning and quality of litchi fruits. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2005; 42(3): 226–230.

Reichel M, Wellhofer J, Triani R, Sruamsiri P, Carle R, Neidhart S. Postharvest control of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) pericarp browning by cold storage at high relative humidity after enzyme-inhibiting treatments. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2017; 125: 77–90.

Huang X M, Wang H C, Yuan W Q, Lu J M, Yin J H, Luo S, et al. A study of rapid senescence of detached litchi: Roles of water loss and calcium. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2005; 36(2): 177–189.

Sun J, Li C B, Prasad K N, You X R, Li L, Liao F, et al. Membrane deterioration, enzymatic browning and oxidative stress in fresh fruits of three litchi cultivars during six-day storage. Scientia Horticulturae, 2012; 148(1): 97–103.

Mishra B B, Kumar S, Wadhawan S, Hajare S N, Saxena S, More V, et al. Browning of litchi fruit pericarp: role of polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase and effect of gamma radiation. Journal of Food Biochemistry, 2012; 36(5): 604–612.

Wang J, Liu B, Xiao Q, Li H, Sun J. Cloning and expression analysis of litchi (Litchi Chinensis Sonn.) polyphenol oxidase gene and relationship with postharvest pericarp browning. Plos One, 2014; 9(4): e93982.




Copyright (c) 2019 International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering



2023-2026 Copyright IJABE Editing and Publishing Office