Ethylene responses and quality of antioxidant-rich stored barberry fruit (Berberis microphylla).

L RODONI; V FEURING; M ZARO; G SOZZI; A VICENTE; M ARENA

SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2014 vol. 179 p. 233 - 238

0304-4238

tIn recent years there has been renewed interest in locally grown and underutilized wild species assources of bioactive compounds. Barberry (Berberis microphylla G. Forst) is among the southernmostgrowing fruit bearing species worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterize this species. We eval-uated the antioxidant capacity of ripe barberry fruits as compared to pear, orange, apple, strawberry andblueberry. In a second set of experiments ripe barberry fruit was harvested and treated with ethyleneand 1-MCP and the changes in ethylene production and respiration rate during storage were assessed.Finally, ripe barberries were harvested and stored at 0, 5 or 10◦C for 0, 3, 7, 11 or 15 days. During thisperiod we determined weight loss, respiration rate, the percentage of rotten and physiologically decayedberries, firmness, sugar content, acidity, pH, anthocyanins, phenolics and antiradical capacity. Barberriesshowed 10-fold higher antioxidant capacity than apple, orange and pear and superseded four times thatof antioxidant-rich fruits such as blueberry. 1-MCP treatments increased ethylene production suggestingthat the hormone auto inhibits it biosynthesis. The fruit stored best at 0◦C and this should be the recom-mended temperature to minimize deterioration and prevent losses of bio-active compounds. The fruitsshow a non-climacteric physiology, with ethylene biosynthesis being under negative feedback control.Barberries are an extraordinary high source of antioxidants among fruits.