Abstract: Apple contains a variety of functional phenolic substances, but no systematic studies have been conducted to investigate their variation during shelf life after harvest. In this paper, ‘Jonagold’ apples were treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and then stored at (0 ± 1) ℃ for 3 months with the aim of investigating the effect of 1-MCP treatment on the contents of 5 individual phenolic compounds in apple flesh and peel. The results obtained were as follows. The most abundant phenolic compound in the peel was hyperoside, whereas chlorogenic acid was the most abundant phenolic compound in the flesh. During the shelf period, the contents of hyperoside, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, rutin and total phenolics decreased in the fruits, while the level of phloridzin increased. 1-MCP treatment effectively maintained the contents of hyperoside, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, rutin and total phenolics, and inhibited the increase in phloridzin.

Key words: ‘Jonagold’ apple, phenolics, chlorogenic acid, shelf temperature