Antioxidant activity and quality parameters of skin-on apple wedges from 10 cultivars were examined during chill storage and over two growing seasons. Storage of fresh-cut apple wedges had a significant impact on quality parameter indices such as browning index (p < 0.001) and texture firmness (p < 0.001). Headspace gas analysis indicated that the degree of browning negatively correlated to oxygen (-0.69) and positively (0.70) correlated to carbon dioxide levels. Antioxidant capacity as assessed by three in vitro methods (DPPH, FRAP and ORAC) decreased significantly for 9 of the 10 cultivars after 5 days of storage at 3 ± 1 °C (p < 0.001). These indices increased in case of Shampion apples over the same storage period for all three assays. With regard to antioxidant capacity and quality parameters, the cultivars Gloster, Alwa, Idared and Jonica were the best performing overall and could therefore be recommended as a core ingredient in fresh-cut fruit products.

An apple and dairy based ready-dessert with an added prebiotic was stored and chill temperatures and number of quality attributes were monitored during chill (4 °C) storage for 30 days. All ready-desserts were thermally processed by sous vide (P (90) > 10 min). The stability of the dairy component in ready-desserts was monitored by measuring volatile free fatty acids. Changes in these components were more evident in prebiotic-enriched samples compared to controls. However, no significant differences were observed over storage in control and prebiotic-enriched ready-desserts. This was supported by sensory analysis that showed no significant changes over storage in control or prebiotic-enriched samples. Of the other quality parameters, the addition of prebiotic inclusions resulted in lower L and b values and dry matter (p < 0.05), while increasing (p < 0.05) soluble solids content compared to control samples. Fluctuations in some of the quality parameters were also observed over storage. Rheological characteristics, i.e. flow behaviour (n), consistency index (K), storage (G'), loss (G″) and complex (G*) moduli were unaffected by prebiotic inclusion. However, storage affected the rheological characteristics of ready-desserts. A decrease (p < 0.05) in flow behaviour (n) led to concomitant increases in consistency index (K) and complex modulus (G*) values in control samples.