Short‐term anaerobic treatment maintained the quality of Actinidia arguta by activating the antioxidant defense system

Abstract BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the effect of 6, 12, and 24 h short‐term anaerobic treatment on kiwiberry quality and antioxidant properties at 5 °C. RESULTS Short‐term anaerobic treatment was found to delay ripening and softening in kiwiberries, evident from changes in ethylene release, total soluble solids, starch, protopectin, and fruit texture. The 24 h treatment group exhibited the lowest decay rate of 12% on day 49, a 38% reduction compared with the control group. Anaerobic treatment reduced flesh translucency and decay in the fruit. The 12 h and 24 h treatments enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase, and increased the level of total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid. Moreover, it lowered oxidative damage in cell membranes, evidenced by reduced malondialdehyde content and relative conductivity. CONCLUSION These results indicate that anaerobic treatment maintains the fruit quality by stimulating its antioxidant defense system. Therefore, short‐term anaerobic treatment emerges as a promising method for kiwiberry storage. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.