Author
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WANG, LIBIN - Nanjing Agricultural University |
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Baldwin, Elizabeth - Liz |
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Zhao, Wei |
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Plotto, Anne |
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SUN, XIUXIU - Wayne State University |
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WANG, ZHE - Jilin University |
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BRECHT, JEFFREY - University Of Florida |
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Bai, Jinhe |
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YU, ZHIFANG - Nanjing Agricultural University |
Submitted to: LWT - Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2015 Publication Date: 1/8/2015 Citation: Wang, L., Baldwin, E.A., Zhao, W., Plotto, A., Sun, X., Wang, Z., Brecht, J., Bai, J., Yu, Z. 2015. Suppression of volatile production in tomato fruit exposed to chilling temperature and alleviation of chilling injury by a pre-chilling heat treatment. LWT - Food Science and Technology. 62:115-121. Interpretive Summary: Consumers have noticed a significant decline in flavor quality over the years and produce flavor is a major source of consumer complaints in tomatoes. Inappropriate postharvest conditions, such as chilling temperature are among the key factors to cause flavor loss. This study investigated how a short exposure of tomato fruit to low temperature at the mature green stage impact flavor quality, and shown that a pre-chilling heat treatment alleviated flavor loss. Technical Abstract: Chilling exposure of tomato fruit to 5 °C for less than 5 days at mature green stage does not cause visual symptom of chilling injury (CI), however, it is unknown whether such conditions would impact flavor quality (internal CI) after ripening, and if a pre-chilling heat treatment could alleviate internal CI. In this experiment, mature green ‘FL 47’ tomatoes were gassed with ethylene to initiate ripening before heating and/or chilling treatment, and fruits were ripened at 20 °C after short exposure to the high or low temperature. Volatile analysis of the fruits were conducted after ripening. Chilling treatment generally suppressed production of aldehyde, alcohol, ketone, ester, acid and terpene volatile compounds, including the following abundant and/or important volatiles: hexanal, trans-2-hexenal, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, ß-ionone, 2-methylbutanal, 2-phenylethanol, guaiacol and 2-isobutylthiazole. Heat treatment alone did not affect most volatile levels after ripening. Heat treatment prior to chilling exposure alleviated the reduction of volatile compounds caused by chilling exposure, which agreed with sensory panel results in that panelists preferred “heating + chilling” treated fruit over fruit that were chilled only. |