A short hot water treatment inhibits ripening-related enzyme activities in Sweet pepper during storage and marketing simulation

Abstract

The aim was to evaluate the effects of a short hot water rinsing and brushing (HWRB) treatment on ripening -related enzyme activities in association with other quality parameters in two freshly harvested bell pepper cultivars. Application of HWRB treatment at: 55°C for about 15s to two bell pepper cultivars (‘Parker’-red and ‘Nibla’- yellow) significantly reduced water loss, thus maintaining fruit firmness, and significantly reduced decay incidence after subsequent prolonged storage. However, ‘Parker’ lost less weight, was firmer and had lower decay incidence than ‘Nibla’ after 21 d at 7°C and additional 3d at 17°C. HWRB treatment also impeded polygalacturonase (PG) and Exo- cellulase(Exo-CMCase) enzyme activities, but not Endo-CMCase activity in fruits, thereby retarding ripening processes and extending the fruit shelf life. PG exhibited the strongest response to HWRB. Controlling physiological and pathological deterioration by introducing the use of HWRB technology to suppress some biochemical pathways involved in fruit ripening and softening could potentiially add significant value by extending storability and marketing, and is of great commercial importance.