Palmitic Acid Regulation of Stem Browning in Freshly Harvested Mini-Chinese Cabbage (<i>Brassica pekinensis</i> (Lour.) Rupr.)
Hongdou Gao,
Shixian Zeng,
Xiaozhen Yue,
Shuzhi Yuan,
Jinhua Zuo,
Qing Wang
Affiliations
Hongdou Gao
Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (North China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (North) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
Shixian Zeng
Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (North China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (North) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
Xiaozhen Yue
Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (North China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (North) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
Shuzhi Yuan
Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (North China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (North) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
Jinhua Zuo
Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (North China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (North) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
Qing Wang
Key Laboratory of Vegetable Postharvest Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fruits and Vegetable Storage and Processing, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (North China) of Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (North) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agri-food Processing and Nutrition, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
The effect of palmitic acid (PA) on stem browning was investigated in freshly harvested mini-Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis). Results indicated that concentrations of PA ranging from 0.03 g L−1 to 0.05 g L−1 inhibited stem browning and decreased the rate of respiration, electrolyte leakage, and weight loss, as well as the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in freshly harvested mini-Chinese cabbage stored at 25 °C for 5 d. The PA treatment enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) and phenylalamine ammonia lyase (PAL)), and inhibited the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO). The PA treatment also increased the level of several phenolics (chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, catechin, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and cinnamic acid) and flavonoids (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin). In summary, results indicate that treatment of mini-Chinese cabbage with PA represents an effective method for delaying stem browning and maintaining the physiological quality of freshly harvested mini-Chinese cabbage due to the ability of PA to enhance antioxidant enzyme activity and the level of phenolics and flavonoids during 5 d.
