Effect of Calcium Lactate Treatment on the Postharvest Quality of Blueberries
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Abstract:
To investigate the effects of calcium lactate treatment on postharvest physiology and biochemistry of blueberry fruits. The postharvest blueberries were immersed in a calcium lactate aqueous solution (10 g/L or 20 g/L) and deionized water (the control), respectively, for 10 min before being stored at 4 ℃. The related indicators were measured at day 0, 14, 28, 42, 56, and 70 over storage. The results showed that the calcium lactate treatment was beneficial to maintain the postharvest quality of blueberry fruits during the storage, through delaying the decrease of fruit firmness, the contents of total soluble solids (TSS), total phenols and flavonoids. on day 28, the firmness of the fruits treated with 20 g/L calcium lactate was 2.1 times as high as that of the control, and at the end of storage, the TSS of the fruits treated with 20 g/L calcium lactate treatment was 1.875 and 1.4 times, respectively, as high as those of the control and the 10 g/L treatment group, with the contents of total phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins increased by 31.25%, 22.58% and 122.78%, respectively, compared with day 0. In addition, the treatments with 20 g/L calcium lactate led to reduced respiration rate and weight loss rate, constant anthocyanin content, and decreased activities of cellulase (Cs), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD). The control had a peak PPO activity that was 1.56 and 2.12 times, respectively, as high as those for the 10 g/L and 20 g/L calcium lactate treatments, with increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and total antioxidant capacity. The results showed that a calcium lactate treatment had a positive effect on postharvest preservation of blueberry fruits, with the treatment using calcium lactate at 20 g/L more desirable to maintain the postharvest quality of blueberries.
