Intermittent Warming Affects Cell Wall Composition of `Fantasia' Nectarines during Ripening and Storage

Abstract

<jats:p>Cell wall changes in `Fantasia' nectarines <jats:italic>[Prunus persica</jats:italic> (L) Batsch var. nectarina (Ait) maxim] were determined after storage at 0C with or without intermittent warming (at 20C at 2-week intervals) and after ripening. For comparison, fruit were examined at harvest and after ripening without storage. Fruit stored continuously at 0C for 6 weeks became mealy during ripening, whereas fruit subjected to intermittent warming ripened normally. Ripening immediately after harvest was associated with solubilization and subsequent depolymerization of pectic polymers and a net loss of galactosyl residues from the cell wall. No solubilization of pectic polymers from the cell wall occurred during storage of fruit at 0C. Mealy fruit, ripened after continuous storage at 0C, showed only limited solubilization of pectins and depolymerization, high relative molecular weight (M) polymers being predominant. During ripening after storage, pectic polymer solubilization was not as extensive in intermittently warmed fruit as in fruit undergoing normal ripening but solubilized polymers were depolymerized, low M uronic acid-rich polymers becoming predominant. Intermittent warming of fruit resulted in significant softening during storage, alleviating the development of mealiness by promotion of cell wall changes associated with normal ripening.</jats:p>

The effect and mechanism of ultrasonic treatment on the postharvest texture of shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes)

“…It is found at the cell surface and acts to bond the cells, assemble chitin, and form the cell wall scaffold (Michalenko et al ., ; Angeli‐Papa & Eyme, ; Wessels et al ., ). As cell wall degradation and structural change are important causes of postharvest fruit softening (Dawson et al ., ), we speculate that the softening of shiitake mushrooms during storage is closely related to the degradation of the cell wall components, such as chitin and glucan. One of the mechanisms of action of ultrasonic treatment in delaying shiitake mushroom softening appears to be the maintenance of chemical components, including chitin and glucan, in the cell wall.…”

Cell Wall Enzymes and Cell Wall Changes in `Flavortop' Nectarines: mRNA Abundance, Enzyme Activity, and Changes in Pectic and Neutral Polymers during Ripening and in Woolly Fruit

“…Changes in cell wall components and their relation to normal ripening in delayed-storage fruit is reminiscent of changes found in fruit from intermittent warming; i.e., removal of the fruit at regular intervals from 0 °C storage, held for 1 d at 20 °C, and then recooled (Anderson, 1979;Anderson and Penney, 1975;Ben-Arie et al, 1970;Lill, 1985). Nectarines subjected to intermittent warming softened significantly during storage, but exhibited little woolliness (Dawson et al, 1995).…”

Mealiness and Pectolytic Activity in Peaches and Nectarines in Response to Heat Treatment and Cold Storage

“…Intermittent warming is effective in preventing or slowing development of mealiness (Anderson, 1982;Dawson et al, 1995). This technique was used in the present study as a means of examining if mealiness due to heat treatment and subsequent cold storage could be successfully minimized by intermittent warming during storage.…”

“…The disorder is most apparent following storage temperatures of 2.2 to 7.7 °C, with symptoms being expressed during ripening (Lill et al, 1989). Delaying implementation of cold storage following harvest (Von Mollendorf et al, 1992) and periods of intermittent warming during storage (Buescher and Furmanski, 1978;Dawson et al, 1995;Fernández-Trujillo et al, 1998) can reduce the amount of internal breakdown. It is believed that the mealiness characteristic of internal breakdown is associated with a chilling-induced abnormality in the breakdown of pectin that leads to an accumulation of in-Heat treatments were performed at the University of California Lindcove Research and Extension Center, Lindcove, Calif., using a forced-air heat treatment chamber (Aquanomics Intl., Honolulu, Hawaii).…”