Abstract:

The effects of hot air treatment at 38 ℃ for 5 h on active oxygen metabolism and flesh lignification of loquat fruit (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. cv. Jiefangzhong) during cold storage (1 ℃± 1 ℃, 90% relative humidity) were investigated. The heat treatment effectively inhibited the decreases of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities and the increase of peroxidase (POD) activity, maintained the low levels of superoxide anions (O2·) production and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), inhibited the accumulation of malonaldehyde (MDA) and the increase in membrane permeability, mitigated the increase in fruit firmness and the decrease in juice percentage. These results suggest that heat treatment may maintain the balance between the formation and detoxification of active oxygen species and delay the lipid peroxidation process, thereby preventing the development of flesh lignification and maintaining the quality of cold-stored loquat fruits.

Key words: loquat fruit, heat treatment, active oxygen, lignification