Enzymatic activity of alginate coated and pulsed light treated fresh-cut cantaloupes (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus cv. Glamour) during chilled storage

• Main Authors: Koh, Pei Chen, Mohd Adzahan, Noranizan, Karim, Roselina, Zainal Abedin, Nur Hanani, Rosli, Siti Zaharah, Hambali, Nor Hasni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2019
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68875/1/%2820%29.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68875/; http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/26%20(02)%202019/(20).pdf
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

The objective of the present work was to investigate the effects of alginate coating combined with repetitive pulsed light (RPL) treatment on the enzymatic activity of fresh-cut cantaloupes during chilled storage. Fresh-cut cantaloupes were coated with alginate (1.86%, w/v) followed by RPL treatment (0.9 J/cm2 at every 48 h up to 26 d) during storage. Untreated samples and samples with alginate or RPL alone were used as controls. Enzymatic activities [polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), pectinesterase (PE), polygalacturonase (PG), pectate lyase (PEL), β-galactosidase (β-Gal), α-arabinofuranosidase (α-AF) and cellulase] of fresh-cut cantaloupes were evaluated every 4 d during storage. Neither alginate coating nor RPL treatment has any effect on the activities of PE and PEL of fresh-cut cantaloupes during storage. The individual treatment or in combination did not increase the PAL, PPO, PG and cellulase activities of fresh-cut cantaloupes throughout the storage. Alginate coating with or without RPL was effective in maintaining low POD activity of fresh-cut cantaloupes. In addition, treatments using alginate coating or alginate coating+RPL were effective in reducing the β-Gal and α-AF activities of fresh-cut cantaloupes during storage. Overall, alginate without or with RPL was effective in reducing changes of enzymatic activities in fresh-cut cantaloupes during storage.