Postharvest fruit quality and antioxidants of nectarine fruit as influenced by chlorogenic acid

Our object was to learn how the endogenous phenolics may influence fruit postharvest quality and antioxidants. We presented that chlorogenic acid (CHA) could more prominently reduce ethylene production, softening and soluble solids content decreases of nectarine fruit pulp discs than neo-chlorogenic acid, which is another major phenolic compound of nectarine pulp. Thus, nectarine fruit were infiltrated by CHA, followed by storage for up to eight days at 25 °C. Our results showed that the CHA treatment significantly reduced ethylene production, softening, decay rate and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. The ethylene production in fruit treated with CHA (50 mg L−1) was 41.6% of that in control on the 4th day of storage; decay rate or MDA level of the fruit was reduced by CHA for 73% or 33%, respectively comparing to control on the 8th day of storage. Meanwhile, CHA also retarded peel color turning, increase of soluble solids content and decline of titratable acid in the fruit. Total phenolics content and antioxidant property of the fruit were also influenced by CHA. Antioxidant activity, radical scavenging activity and reducing power in the pulp were remarkably enhanced by CHA. These results suggest that CHA can maintain postharvest quality and antioxidant capacity of fruit.