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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #250289

Title: Lysophosphatidylethanolamine effects upon volatiles and quality of fresh-cut Galia melon.

Author
item AMARO, ANA - Universidade Catolica Portuguesa
item FUNDO, J - Universidade Catolica Portuguesa
item MALCATA, F - Universidade Catolica Portuguesa
item ALMEIDA, D P - Universidade Catolica Portuguesa
item Beaulieu, John
item Stein, Rebecca
item FERNANDEZ-TRUJILLO, J - Universidade Catolica Portuguesa

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2010
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Wounding plant tissue increases the hydrolysis of phospholipids mediated by phospholipase D. Such action generally gives rise to C6 and C9 aldehydes and alcohols, which can be flavor-related in several crops. Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), a naturally occurring phospholipid, has been reported to inhibit phospholipase D, so it can provide a means to reduce quality degradation in fresh-cut fruit. LPE application to fresh-cut fruit may reduce membrane lipid degradation, but may also alter the aromatic profile, via suppression of lipid-derived volatile compounds. In this study, the potential effect of LPE upon quality and aromatic profile of fresh-cut melons was investigated. Galia-type melons (cv. Fiesta) were processed and vacuum-infiltrated with 200 ppm of LPE, packaged in polypropylene trays, and stored for 7 days at 4 ºC. Four replicate packages of LPE-treated melon cubes and untreated controls were sampled by 0, 1, 4, and 7 days in storage. Color, firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), ethylene production, respiration rate, and volatile production were measured. Volatile compounds were extracted via Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction, and quantified via GC-MS. Color and SSC remained constant throughout storage. There was no significant effect of LPE upon color, firmness, SSC, ethylene production, and respiration rate. Esters, aldehydes, and sulphur-containing compounds were the major volatiles in fresh-cut melon. LPE reduced most acetate (propyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, 3-methylbutyl acetate, 2-methylbutyl acetate, hexyl acetate, and pentyl acetate) and non-acetate (ethyl 2-methyl propanoate, methyl 2-methyl butanoate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl 2-methyl butanoate, and ethyl propanoate) esters, alcohols (eucalyptol, hexanol and benzene propanol), and aldehydes ((Z)-6-nonenal and hexanal), but had no effect on benzyl acetate, octyl acetate, 2-phenethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, methyl butanoate, (Z)-6-nonenol, (E)-2-nonenal, ethyl (methylthio) acetate, and ethyl 3-(methylthio) propanoate; therefore, LPE application used as a membrane protective treatment, can have a specific inhibitory effect upon volatile compounds production by inhibition of lipid-breakdown products.