Strawberry postharvest shelf life is related to total acid content and fruit firmness

Abstract

Strawberry fruit has a short post-harvest shelf life because it is very perishable and susceptible to several pathogens that quickly reduce the quality of the fruit. A large part of Huelva's strawberry production is exported, so the shelf life of the fruit is one of the main factors that determines the quality of the fruit when it reaches its destination. The aim of this work was to explore the relationship between postharvest shelf life and the agronomic and quality traits in different strawberry genotypes during several seasons.For this, the postharvest shelf life, early and total yield, soluble solids content, fruit firmness and the content of sugars and organic acids were quantified during four consecutive seasons (2016-2019). First, the relationships of the shelf life with the other variables were explored through a principal components analysis. Subsequently, the variables that showed a stronger association with the shelf life were analyzed in more detail by correlation and linear regression analysis.The principal components analysis showed a positive relationship of the shelf life with the acid content and with fruit firmness measured with dynamometer and subjectively. Specifically, the correlation between the shelf life and firmness (measure with a penetrometer and subjectively) and the total acid was 0.59, 0.48 and 0.53, respectively. In conclusion, the variables of firmness and acid content can be useful to select genotypes in a strawberry breeding program with an increased shelf life.

Quality Evaluation of Mustard Microgreens Grown on Peat and Jute Substrate

“…There are studies showing penetrometer measurement correlation with texture attributes [12]. Penetrometers are usually used for determining the texture and firmness of fruits, [12,13] but some studies have also shown the use of penetrometers, which should provide objective data compared to tasters, to determine the toughness and texture of the leaves. Takeuchi and Zalucki [16] used a penetrometer to determine Eucalyptus leaf toughness; Wang et al [17] and Salgado-Luarte et al [18] measured the leaf toughness of different spp.…”

“…The force required by the metallic tip to penetrate a microgreen leaflet was recorded. The penetrometer is usually used to determine the texture of fruits, for example, apples and strawberries [12,13]. However, some studies have also shown the use of a penetrometer to determine the toughness and texture of the leaves [15][16][17][18][19].…”

“…One of the advantages of eating microgreens is that they are mainly consumed raw; therefore, they do not undergo the processing methods, which lead to a loss in terms of nutritional composition, especially for those thermolabile compounds [3]. The most important properties to evaluate a product include appearance and flavor, while little attention has been given to the sensory attributes of microgreens [1], which includes texture, commonly evaluated by a penetrometer [12,13].…”

Strawberry Post-Harvest Anthocyanin Development to Improve the Colour Stability of Strawberry Nectars

“…During ripening, in addition to developing in colour and anthocyanin content, strawberries become softer [12,16]. This makes them more difficult to transport, because softer fruits are more likely to be damaged, and have a shorter shelf life [17,18]. In order to maximise shelf life, strawberries for the fresh market are typically harvested before they have fully developed to their peak colour and anthocyanin content, and consequently are not at the optimal ripeness to produce nectars with the most stable colour.…”