Influence of postharvest processing and storage on the content of phenolic acids and flavonoids in foods

Abstract

The review is based on the evaluation of electronically collated data published between 2002 to June 2006. It is based on 325 references dealing with the following subclasses of phenolic compounds: hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, chalcones, flavanones, flavones, flavonols, monomeric flavanols and anthocyanins. Only publications dealing directly with the effects of storage and postharvest processing on the phenolic acid and flavonoid contents of foods were considered. The expectation that the structural diversity even within each subgroup, and the number of different procedures and of different parameters would make finding homogenous tendencies unlikely, has, in most instances, been confirmed. By adding a database Excel table combined with a focused and unified evaluation, specific additional information was rendered accessible and concise. It holds true for most of the subclasses in question that the effect of storage and food processing on the polyphenol content is negligible in comparison to the differences between different varieties of plants. Variety dependence must always be considered, for all classes of compounds.

The arils characterization of five different pomegranate (Punica granatum) genotypes stored after minimal processing technology

“…In contrast, Kalt et al (1999) reported that during storage of fresh small fruits such as strawberries and raspberries, anthocyanin content increased. Increase in anthocyanin content during storage may be related to increase in water loss or continued pigment biosynthesis after harvest (Amarowicz et al 2009). However, another factor that caused the difference in anthocyanins content in pomegranate genotypes maybe the variable activity of PAL during senescence; this is the main enzyme to synthesis of phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins (Sakihama et al 2002).…”

Role of the Physical Elicitors in Enhancing Postharvest Antioxidant Capacity of Table Grape cv Redglobe (Vitis vinifera L.)

“…Indeed berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, stored at temperatures >15 °C show higher anthocyanins and phenolics contents compared to those stored at lower ones (0 to 6 °C) (Kalt et al, 1999;Cordenunsi et al, 2005). However, other studies have demonstrated that cold storage for up to 3 days leads to relatively small changes in the concentration of different antioxidants in strawberries (Olsson, Ekvall, Gustavsson, & Nilsson, 2004), and that the anthocyanin content of raspberries is not affected by 3 days freezing at 4° C (Amarowicz et al, 2009). (Crupi et al, 2012), that would favor the further cellular biosynthesis of these compounds during postharvest storage.…”

“…The storage process can modify the content of phenolic acids and flavonoids in the plant material, leading to an increase or decrease which depend on the storage conditions, such as temperature and time, but also phytochemical stability, and quality of the analyzed food. Generally, a decrease in the polyphenol content with high temperature was shown, but, in other cases, fruit stored at higher temperature has shown higher anthocyanin and flavonoid concentrations and higher antioxidant activity than at lower temperature (Amarowicz et al, 2009;Kalt, Forney, Martin, & Prior, 1999;Shin, Liu, Nock, Holliday, & Watkins, 2007).…”

Antioxidant capacity and anthocyanin composition of Bulgarian bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruits

“…This may affect their applications in functional food industry, especially in the light of recent 22 that the effect of storage and technological processing on the content, for most of the polyphenolic classes and subclasses, is negligible in comparison to the differences between the raw materials of different plant species and/or varieties.…”