Effects of Postharvest Chitosan and Salicylic Acid Treatments on Storage Duration and Quality of Minimally Processed ‘Hicaznar’ Pomegranate Varieties

Abstract

In recent years, pomegranate cultivation has significantly increased both in Turkey and worldwide. Consequently, the importance of postharvest preservation has grown in parallel with the rising volume of harvested pomegranates. This study aimed to investigate the effects of chitosan (Ch), salicylic acid (SA), and their combined application chitosan+salicylic acid (Ch+SA) on the quality attributes of pomegranate arils during cold storage. Following aril extraction, treatments were applied, and the arils were stored at 4 °C and 90% relative humidity for 16 days. At 4 day intervals during the storage period, samples were analyzed for weight loss, aril color (hue angle), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant activity (TAA), ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content (AsA), and total anthocyanin content (TA). Results indicated that both Ch and SA treatments were effective in maintaining the quality attributes of the arils compared to the control, with the combined application (Ch+SA) showing enhanced effectiveness. The Ch+SA treatment was particularly effective in reducing weight loss and slowing changes in hue angle, TSS, and TA. Additionally, it has been determined that postharvest application of chitosan+salicylic acid could be an effectice method for keeping quality attributes in pomegranate arils during a cold storage period of 16 days.

Keywords

• Pomegranate
• Minimally processed
• Storage
• Chitosan
• Salicylic acid

Hasat Sonrası Kitosan ve Salisilik Asit Uygulamalarının Danelenmiş ‘Hicaznar’ Çeşidinde Muhafaza Süresi ve Kalite Üzerine Etkileri

Öz

Nar yetiştiriciliği ülkemizde ve dünyada son yıllarda çok hızlı bir şekilde artmaktadır. Hasat edilen nar miktarındaki artışa bağlı olarak muhafazası da aynı oranda önem kazanmıştır. Bu çalışmada danelenmiş narlara kitosan, salisilik asit ve bu uygulamaların birlikte kullanımı olan kitosan+salisilik asitin hasat sonrası soğukta muhafaza süresince kalite özellikleri üzerine etkileri araştırılmıştır. Daneleme işlemi yapılan narlar uygulamalar yapıldıktan sonra 4 °C ve %90 oransal nem içeren soğuk hava deposunda 16 gün süreyle depolanmıştır. Muhafaza süresince 4 gün arayla danelerde ağırlık kaybı, dane rengi (hue açısı), suda çözünebilir toplam kuru madde miktarı (SÇKM), titre edilebilir asitlik miktarı (TEA), toplam fenolik madde miktarı (TFM), toplam antioksidan aktivite miktarı (TAA), askorbik asit (C vitamini) miktarı (AsA) ve toplam antosiyanin miktarı (TA) analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda kitosan (Ch) ve salisilik asit (SA) uygulamasının kontrol ile karşılaştırıldığında danelerde kalite özelliklerini korumada etkili olduğu, bu etkinin birlikte kullanıldığında (Ch+SA) daha da arttığı saptanmıştır. Ch+SA uygulamasının ağırlık kaybının azaltılması, dane rengi, SÇKM, TEA değerlerindeki değişimin yavaşlatılmasında etkili bir uygulama olduğu görülmüştür. Ayrıca TAA, TFM, AsA ve TA kapsamlarında oluşan değişimlerin yavaşlatılmasında etkili olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak 16 gün muhafaza edilen nar danelerinde hasat sonrası Ch ve SA uygulamalarının birlikte kullanımının kalite özelliklerini korumada etkili olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Nar
• Taze kesilmiş
• Muhafaza
• Kitosan
• Salisilik asit

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