Flavour and metabolic changes in asparagus during storage

doi:10.1016/0304-4238(88)90052-0

Scientia Horticulturae

Volume 36, Issues 3–4, August 1988, Pages 183-190

https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4238(88)90052-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

Flavour acceptability of apical spear segments declined within 2 days of storage at 1°C and further declined after 7 days of storage. Decline in flavour acceptance was accompanied by off-flavour development, a decrease in soluble carbohydrates and an increase in protein content of spear tip segments. Respiration rate of spears stored at 1 or 20°C declined after harvest before reaching an equilibrium. A significant loss of soluble carbohydrates and proteins from tip segments occurred during storage at 20°C. Storage at 1°C reduced the rate of substrate loss.

References (15)

G.A. King et al.
Sensory analysis of stored asparagus
Scientia Hortic.
(1987)
O.H. Lowry et al.
Protein measurement with the folin phenol reagent
J. Biol. Chem.
(1951)
C.S. Bisson et al.
Factors influencing the quality of fresh asparagus after it is harvested
University of California Experiment Station, Berkeley, Bull.
(1926)
C.W. Culpepper et al.
Changes in the composition and rate of growth along the developing stem of asparagus
Plant Physiol.
(1939)
N.O. Dungey et al.
Protein turnover in isolated barley leaf segments and effects on stress
J. Exp. Bot.
(1982)
J.M.O. Eze et al.
A comparison of the Bradford and Lowry methods for the analysis of protein in chlorophyllous tissue
Can. J. Bot.
(1982)
P.-H. Hsaio et al.
Changes of some enzyme activities and levels of metabolites of asparagus spears after harvest
J. Chinese Agric. Chem. Soc.
(1981)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (25)

Water blanching conditions on the quality of green asparagus butt segment (Asparagus officinalis L.)
2019, Materials Today: Proceedings
The butt segment of asparagus contains numerous nutrients, including various antioxidants. In particular, fibers and several mineral contents are quite high. However, asparagus butt segment quality is reduced in processing. Therefore, research on the asparagus butt segment processing for development of food industry and for the benefit of economic is necessary. Water blanching is a pretreatment method applied in most fruit and vegetable industry today. Water blanching process can inhibit enzyme activity and reduce loss of food quality. However, water blanching can lead to loss of nutrient contents as well as changes in color and texture (sensory values). In this study, the temperature was investigated at 70°C, 75°C, 80°C, 85°C, and 90°C, and the blanching time was observed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 minutes. We evaluated the effect of blanching conditions through the percent retention of vitamin C, phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity (DPPH assay), and changes of sensory values. The results show that blanching temperatures from 75°C to 85°C insignificantly affect quality of asparagus butt segment. However, nutrient contents and sensory values decrease rapidly with the increase of blanching time. When asparagus was blanched at 85°C for 4 minutes, the percent retention of vitamin C, phenolic and antioxidant capacity was 74.84% 80.34% and 71.24%, respectively. These results suggested the good blanching conditions for asparagus butt segment processing..
Postharvest flavor deployment and degradation in fruits and vegetables
2008, Fruit and Vegetable Flavour: Recent Advances and Future Prospects
This chapter presents an overview of post-harvest physiology and technology, and how they relate to changes in flavor of fruits and vegetables. The increase in and changing profile of aroma volatiles during the late stages of fruit ripening is a major focus of the chapter and the scope is limited to products of fatty acid and isopentenoid metabolism. The three subjects considered in the chapter are: (1) flavor changes with fruit ripening, (2) the influence of storage conditions and pre-storage treatments, and (3) the influence of ethylene and its recently discovered antagonist 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on flavor and texture. The chapter gives special attention to the gene expression and enzymes involved in aroma volatile production in ripening fruits. Use of molecular genetics tools has resulted in rapid and exciting progress in this area. The discussion of the second subject is centered on the effects of refrigeration, controlled or modified atmospheres, and pre-storage treatments administered to retard ripening and senescence or to kill insect pests that restrict fruit exports, focusing mainly on the negative impact these technologies can have on flavor and aroma. The chapter also reviews the crucial roles of ethylene in post-harvest ripening and senescence, and the rapidly increasing utilization of 1-MCP treatments to delay the deterioration of fresh produce and extend storage life.
Characterization of the harvest-induced expression of β-galactosidase in Asparagus officinalis
1998, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
The harvest-induced senescence of asparagus spears is accompanied by both up-regulated and down-regulated gene expression. The expression of pTIP31, coding for asparagus β-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) is temporally associated with removal of the asparagus spear from the main body of the plant — neither wounding or compression treatments induce up-regulation of transcripts corresponding to pTIP31. Harvest-induced pTIP31 transcripts appear initially in cells below the meristems of the side branches, and in inner bracts and developing flowers of the spear tip, and in the cells of the outer cortex and conjunctive tissue lower down the spear. Transcripts are also located in vascular tissues 24 h after harvest. Enhanced levels of β-galactosidase activity are found in the branches and bracts of the spear tip within 12 h of harvest, while the rate of increase in activity in the middle zone of the spear was comparable to that of the branches and bracts after 24 h. The proportion of galactose in spear cell walls decreases after harvest. We propose that galactosidase activity releases galactose residues that may be used as respiratory substrate for the rapidly deteriorating asparagus spears.
Towards a freshness test for asparagus: Spear tip asparagine content is strongly related to post harvest accumulated heat units
1998, Food Chemistry
The shelf-life of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is strongly related to the post-harvest accumulated heat-units; the greater the number of accumulated heat-units (degree-h >0°C) experienced by the spears the lower the residual shelf-life. The potential of using asparagine and/or amino acid content as markers of freshness for asparagus spears was assessed by determining the relationship between the concentrations of these metabolites in the spear tips of two cultivars (‘Limbras 10’ and ‘Jersey Giant’) and the post-harvest age of the spears in terms of accumulated heat-units. There was a strong quadratic relationship between spear tip asparagine content and degree-h (R² = 0.878) that was independent of cultivar (P = 0.16). Free amino acid content was also correlated quadratically with degree-h (R² = 0.788 and 0.813 for ‘Limbras 10’ and ‘Jersey Giant’, respectively) but this was cultivar dependent (P = 0.002). Spear tip asparagine concentration has potential as a marker of freshness for asparagus but requires the development of an asparagine assay suitable for use in packhouses or by exporters.
Increase in Freezing Resistance of Excised Shoot Tips of Asparagus officinalis L. by Preculture on Sugar-Rich Media
1997, Cryobiology
The effects of preculture on freezing resistance, sugar and water content, and the cell structure of asparagus shoot tips (Asparagus officinalisL.) were examined. Freezing resistance of tips was increased by a 48-h preculture on a medium supplemented with a high concentration of sugar. The optimal concentration of sugar in the preculture medium was 0.5M,regardless of the sugar. The results of analysis of sugar and water contents suggested that dehydration of cells in the shoot tips and absorption of sugar from the medium occurred during preculture. Exogenous fructose, glucose, and sucrose taken up by the precultured shoot tips were metabolized into other kinds of sugar, but sorbitol was not. Estimated concentrations of sugar in the precultured shoot tips were similar to those in the preculture medium, except in the case of added sucrose. In shoot tips that had been precultured on a medium supplemented with 0.5Mglucose, only a few of several dome-shaped meristematic protrusions and leaf premordia survived. The dead cells, in which the organelles had been entirely destroyed, seemed to have been plasmolyzed to a very considerable extent in the hypertonic media. Severe plasmolysis may be a consequence of possible dehydration damage. In surviving cells, many developed plastids that contained starch grains were observed, and extensive rER developed in the cytosol. It is suggested that the uptake of sugars and dehydration occurred in cells during preculture, with consequent increase of freezing resistance of precultured shoot tips.
Postharvest inhibition of glutamine synthetase activity with phosphinothricin reduces the shelf-life of asparagus
1993, Postharvest Biology and Technology
Harvested spears of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) accumulate ammonia in their tips towards the end of shelf-life. However, the accumulation of ammonia is not due to limitations in the activity of the ammonia assimilating enzyme, glutamine synthetase (GS). When GS was inhibited by postharvest treatment with phosphinothricin (PPT), the ammonia content of the tips increased almost immediately and the shelf-life of the spears was severely reduced with symptoms of deterioration identical to those commonly ascribed to chilling injury. PPT treatment also inhibited the pattern of glutamine and asparagine accumulation seen during shelf-life. These observations emphasize that during the postharvest life of asparagus GS has a pivotal role in reassimilating considerable amounts (3% of dry weight) of ammonia in the tips.

View all citing articles on Scopus

View full text

Flavour and metabolic changes in asparagus during storage

Abstract

Scientia Hortic.

J. Biol. Chem.

Factors influencing the quality of fresh asparagus after it is harvested

University of California Experiment Station, Berkeley, Bull.

Changes in the composition and rate of growth along the developing stem of asparagus

Plant Physiol.

Protein turnover in isolated barley leaf segments and effects on stress

J. Exp. Bot.

A comparison of the Bradford and Lowry methods for the analysis of protein in chlorophyllous tissue

Can. J. Bot.

Changes of some enzyme activities and levels of metabolites of asparagus spears after harvest

J. Chinese Agric. Chem. Soc.