Effect of H2o2 Treatment on Flavor Quality, Texture Quality and ROS Metabolism in ‘Hongshi’ Kiwifruit Fruit During Ambient Storage

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is an important factor initiating the post-harvest fruit ripening and plays significant roles in quality of fruit, but it remains largely uncovered whether H 2 O 2 is related with the regulation of kiwifruit senescence. In the current study, effect of 0.5 M H 2 O 2 on flavor quality, texture quality and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism in harvested ‘Hongshi’ kiwifruit stored at ambient temperature were elucidated. Results demonstrated that H 2 O 2 accelerated changes in flavor quality parameters such as contents of anthocyanin, reducing sugar and soluble solids content (SSC). In addition, H 2 O 2 -treated fruit were separated with controls by electronic tongue (e-tongue) and electronic nose (e-nose) assay on the basis of discriminant factor analysis (DFA) plots. H 2 O 2 -treated fruit exhibited earlier increment of enzyme activities of α-amylase, β-amylase, total amylase and pectate lyase, resulting in a faster rate of starch degradation and pectin solubilization, which were responsible for the softening of kiwifruit. H 2 O 2 prompted the activities of SOD and POD during the initial storage but it was inadequate to counteract the oxidative stress, resulting in higher superoxide anion (O 2 •− ) production and levels of protein carbonylation, which might in turn induce fruit senescence and subsequently decreased the enzyme activities of antioxidant system. These results widened our insights about the role of H 2 O 2 in postharvest kiwifruit ripening and ROS metabolism.