Respiratory activity and phenolic compounds in pre-cut celery

SONIA Z. VIÑA; ALICIA R. CHAVES

FOOD CHEMISTRY

Elsevier Ltd

Año: 2007 vol. 100 p. 1654 - 1660

0308-8146

Abstract: The effect of temperature on respiratory activity and total phenols and flavonoids content in pre-cut celery was assessed within the 24 hours following this minimal processing. To this end, celery petioles were cut as strips, conditioned in crystal polyethylene terephthalate trays covered with PVC film and stored at 0, 10 and 20ºC. Samples were removed at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours after processing to analyse respiratory activity and concentrations of total phenols and flavones. For the samples kept at 0ºC for 24 h, chlorogenic acid was also determined, along with total flavonoids and antioxidant power. At this temperature, the total phenols content remained basically constant, though at 10ºC it increased considerably two hours after applying the cutting stress. At 20ºC the increase observed was less important. The flavones, identified by HPLC in pre-cut celery were apigenin and luteolin, whose concentrations also increased between two to six hours after processing. However, exposure of 24 h at 0°C produced a considerable decrease in total flavonoids. Keywords: fresh-cut vegetables; respiratory increase; total phenols; flavones; wounding response.