Abstract: To investigate the effect of combined treatment with L-ascorbic acid (AA) and ultrasound (US) (AS) on the storage quality of fresh-cut taro, the present study measured changes in the sensory quality and browning-related enzyme activities during storage of Yongding grown fresh-cut Liuyuehong taro soaked in 2% AA solution for 15 minutes, followed by US treatment (53 kHz and 400 W for 10 minutes). Compared with the control group, combined treatment with AS could reduce the water loss rate of fresh-cut taro, maintain higher hardness, delay the increase in browning index, reduce cell membrane permeability, inhibit the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), and suppress surface microbial growth, thereby maintaining higher sensory quality of fresh-cut taro. In addition, AS treatment could also maintain higher activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), decrease the activities of peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), inhibit the consumption of phenolic substances, slow down the loss of nutrients such as starch, soluble proteins, and soluble solids, suppress the accumulation of soluble quinones, and delay the flavor deterioration of fresh-cut taro during storage. These results indicated that AS treatment could maintain better storage quality of fresh-cut taro.

Key words: fresh-cut taro; L-ascorbic acid; ultrasonic treatment; browning; storage quality