Novel insights into ascorbate retention and degradation during the washing and post-harvest storage of spinach and other salad leaves

Food Chemistry
Rebecca A DewhirstStephen C Fry

Abstract

Post-harvest treatments of pre-packaged salad leaves potentially cause l-ascorbate loss, but the mechanisms of ascorbate degradation remain incompletely understood, especially in planta. We explored the extent and pathways of ascorbate loss in variously washed and stored salad leaves. Ascorbate was assayed by 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol titration, and pathways were monitored by (14)C-radiolabelling followed by high-voltage electrophoresis. All leaves tested showed ascorbate loss during storage: lettuce showed the greatest percentage loss, wild rocket the least. Spinach leaves were particularly prone to losing ascorbate during washing, especially with simultaneous mechanical agitation; however, washing in the presence of hypochlorite did not significantly increase ascorbate loss. In spinach, [(14)C]oxalate was the major product of [(14)C]ascorbate degradation, suggesting that commercial washing causes oxidative stress. This study highlights that ascorbate/dehydroascorbic acid are lost via the oxidative pathway during washing and post-harvest storage of salad leaves. Thus changes to washing procedures could potentially increase the post-harvest retention of ascorbate.

Citations

Jan 13, 2018·Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture·Francisca A AnsahGiancarlo Colelli
Jun 9, 2018·The Plant Journal : for Cell and Molecular Biology·Rebecca A Dewhirst, Stephen C Fry
Oct 24, 2018·The Biochemical Journal·Rebecca A Dewhirst, Stephen C Fry
Apr 29, 2019·Metabolomics : Official Journal of the Metabolomic Society·Aleksandra BurdziejStéphanie Cluzet
Apr 2, 2021·Plant Physiology·Mario FenechMiguel A Botella
Jun 3, 2021·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Vijay JoshiSierra Rodriguez
May 27, 2021·Plant Science : an International Journal of Experimental Plant Biology·Gale G Bozzo, Nicole Unterlander
Nov 27, 2018·Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·Edward J FlahertyGale G Bozzo

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
electrophoresis

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