Stability Study on Physicochemical Composition, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Potential of Apple Jam: Influence of Daily Storage Conditions

Abstract The fruits and their derivatives are products known for their excellent energy intake and their beneficial health effects. Jams are an efficient and tasty way of fruit preservation. Jam quality is greatly influenced by storage conditions like temperature and duration. The current investigation aimed to study the evaluation changes of physicochemical characteristics (total sugars (TS), free amino acids (FAA), hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and ascorbic acid (AA)), phytochemical composition (carotenoid, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents), and antioxidant ability (DPPH and ferric reducing power) of two brands of commercial apple jam during daily conditions of use. The jams were assessed during the first 30 days after first opening the tins, with testing the effect of 25°C (ambient temperature) and 35°C (hot summer temperature). The findings show that after a month of storage at 25 and 35°C, the decreasing levels for samples were respectively 11-13% (S1) and 12-16% (S2) for TS, 63-68% (S1), and 57-63% (S2) for FAA, 6-7% (S1) and 4-5% (S2) for AA; whereas, HMF revealed increases of 127-143% (S1) and 186-232% (S2). Likewise, significant losses of bioactive substances and antioxidant capacity have been observed for jam samples. Based on the current findings, it can be concluded that storing industrial apple jam under daily conditions of use leads to significant loss of quality and antioxidant parameters. For this reason, it is recommended to consume the apple jam as soon as possible after opening the tin and to store it at relatively low temperatures during use.