Influence of Ripening on Polyphenolic Content, Degradative, and Browning Enzymes in Cantaloupe Varieties (C. Melo, L.)

Abstract

The biochemical changes that occur during the growth and ripening of fruit and vegetable tissues, especially for color and firmness, are the most important factors affecting the quality of fresh products. Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo, L.) is one of the main economically important fruits in the world and its quality parameters, e.g., sweetness, nutritional factors, and texture, influence consumer preferences. Hence, these two features, appearance and texture changes, were investigated in three different genotypes of netted melon, all characterized by an extended shelf life but with different ripening phases. In particular, in all melon cultivars, the cell wall-modifying enzymatic activities and indicators of softening as well as total polyphenols, ortho-diphenols, flavonoids, and tannins, and antioxidant activity were studied. One variety with excellent shelf-life displayed the best nutritional and healthy qualities, in the early stages of ripening, and the lowest degree of browning. The lytic enzyme activities were reduced in the initial stages and after they increased gradually until the overripe stage, with the same trend for all varieties under investigation. The antioxidant activities declined with increasing time of ripeness in all genotypes. The outcomes confirm that the activities of both classes examined, antioxidant and cell wall-modifying enzymes, may vary significantly during ripeness depending on the genotype, suggesting the involvement in determining the postharvest behavior of these fruits.

The Role of Cell Wall Polysaccharides Disassembly and Enzyme Activity Changes in the Softening Process of Hami Melon (Cucumis melo L.)

“…During fruit softening, the changes of cell wall materials mainly stemmed from the variation in the cell wall modifying enzyme activities. PG, Cx, PME, XTH, α-ARF, and β-GAL were cell-wall-degrading enzymes involved in fruit softening [ 2 , 3 , 36 , 37 ]. The activities concerning Cx, PG, α-ARF, or β-GAL regularly multiplied with the development of storage time.…”

Assessment of Genetic Parameters for Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and TSS Content Results in Melon Line Crosses at Five Maturity Stages

“…reticulatus Naudin) from 38 days after anthesis to overripe. Furthermore, [38] reported that there was an increase in TSS content in 3 cultivars of cantaloupe melon from the unripe stage to the overripe stage.…”

Utilizing Xanthan Gum Coatings as Probiotic Bacteria Carriers to Enhance Postharvest Quality and Antioxidants in Fresh-Cut Cantaloupe and Honeydew (Cucumis melo L.) Melons

“…Reduced luminosity observed in uncoated melons may be associated with polyphenol oxidase activation, which causes enzymatic browning due to physiological damage. In contrast, the coated samples showed reduced browning due to reduced oxygen penetration, reducing oxidation rates [ 77 ]. Moreover, the probiotic-loaded edible coating or coatings prevent the enzymatic oxidation of phenolic compounds, thereby protecting them [ 71 ].…”