Combination of Sodium Nitroprusside and Controlled Atmosphere Maintains Postharvest Quality of Chestnuts through Enhancement of Antioxidant Capacity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of CA (controlled atmosphere, 2–3% O2 + 3% CO2) and NO (nitric oxide, generated by 0.4 nM sodium nitroprusside), alone or combined (CA + NO), on the physio-chemical properties, enzyme activities and antioxidant capacities of chestnuts during storage at 0 °C for 180 d. Compared with control (CT), CA and CA+NO both improved the storage quality of the samples, but only CA resulted in more ethanol production. Moreover, these improvements were further enhanced and ethanol synthesis was inhibited by the addition of NO. A spectrometer was used to assess the production of phenolic content (TPC) and activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), superoxide dismutas (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) as influenced by CA or CA+NO treatments. Higher TPC, PAL, SOD, POD, CAT, and lower PPO were observed in CA alone, and more so in the combination with NO group. The increased antioxidant production and enhanced antioxidant activities contributed to scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reducing malondialdehyde (MDA). This study unveiled the correlations and differences between the effects of CA and CA+NO on storage quality, providing valuable insights into postharvest preservation and suggesting that the combination (CA+NO) was more beneficial for quality maintenance in chestnuts.

Hot Water Treatment Preserves Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) Quality during Storage by Increasing Its Sugar Accumulation and ROS-Scavenging Ability

“…Recent research indicates that boosting the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD, CAT, and APX, can inhibit ROS accumulation, thereby mitigating decay and browning in fruit [40]. In the case of chestnuts, CA and CA + NO treatments have been shown to enhance antioxidant activity, including that of SOD, CAT, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, thereby reducing ROS accumulation and malondialdehyde content, and preserving chestnut quality [25]. The antioxidant activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2 ′ ,2 ′ -azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS + ) increased in ginger (Zingiber officinale) dried under 0.9 W/g microwave power and a hot air condition at 60-70 • C [41].…”

“…Drying with hot air at 50 • C preserved the highest succinic acid content, contributing to the most taste activity value in Lentinula edodes products [45]. Combining CA with NO treatment delayed chestnut decline by enhancing antioxidant activity during storage and preserving flavor [25]. However, research on sensory evaluation in chestnut fruit is relatively scarce.…”

“…Utilizing a combined treatment of nitric oxide (NO) and controlled atmosphere (CA, 2-3% O 2 + 3% CO 2 ) preserved the postharvest quality of chestnuts by increasing the SOD, CAT, and POD activities [25]. When chestnuts were treated with the combination of cold water (15 • C for 5 days) and CA (15.20 kPa CO 2 and 3.04 kPa O 2 ), the decay rate was reduced and minimal color change was maintained, while an acceptable sensory quality was maintained [10].…”