Improving the Surface Color and Delaying Softening of Peach by Minimizing the Harmful Effects of Ethylene in the Package

TL;DR

This study shows that using ethylene absorbents and 1-MCP in packaging can help preserve peach firmness and color during storage.

Contribution

The novel contribution is demonstrating the synergistic effect of ethylene absorbents and 1-MCP in improving peach quality during storage.

Findings

MAP+EA treatment maintained peach firmness and anthocyanin content.

MAP+EA increased a* values and reduced weight loss and enzyme activities.

Combining 1-MCP and EA showed synergistic effects in delaying softening and improving color.

Abstract

Peach is a typical ethylene-sensitive fruit, and low levels of ethylene can accelerate softening during storage. In this study, we used an ethylene absorbent (EA) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to minimize the detrimental impact of ethylene on the quality of peaches in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and analyzed fruit firmness, color change, anthocyanin content, and the expression patterns of cell wall metabolism-related genes and anthocyanin synthesis-related genes during storage. The results showed that ethylene in the MAP package decreased the firmness and total anthocyanin content of the peaches, while MAP combined with EA (MAP+EA) treatment effectively maintained the firmness of the peaches and counteracted the inhibition of anthocyanin accumulation in the peach skin by ethylene. In addition, the peaches treated with MAP+EA exhibited higher a* values, lower weight loss, and lower activities of cell-wall-modifying enzymes. Meanwhile, MAP+EA treatment also significantly increased the expression of color-related genes such as flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase gene (F3′H), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), and UDP-flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT). Furthermore, a good synergistic effect was observed between 1-MCP and EA in delaying softening and promoting coloring of peach fruit in the MAP package. The combination of 1-MCP and EA treatment may have the potential to alleviate softening and improve the color and quality of post-harvest fruit during storage.

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