A complex interaction between pre-harvest and post-harvest factors determines fresh-cut melon quality and aroma.

ABSTRACT: Melons are prized for their characteristic aroma, however, pre-harvest growth, stage of ripening at harvest, post-harvest processing and storage conditions lead to quality changes in fresh-cut fruit. We considered changes in metabolites and gene expression over 14 days storage to assess underlying mechanisms and identify potential quality markers. Overall, 99 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected and VOC profiles discriminated between two melon seasons, cut-size, storage temperatures and storage time, although season affected their discriminatory power. Abundance of two VOCs fell rapidly and was not associated with cut size, indicating their use as markers for early changes post-processing. Non-acetate to acetate ester ratio differed between the seasons and correlated with change

SUBMITTER: Spadafora ND 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6391468 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature