Abstract:
The aim was to evaluate the effects of a short hot water rinsing and brushing (HWRB)
treatment on ripening -related enzyme activities in association with other quality parameters
in two freshly harvested bell pepper cultivars. Application of HWRB treatment at: 55°C for
about 15s to two bell pepper cultivars (‘Parker’-red and ‘Nibla’- yellow) significantly reduced
water loss, thus maintaining fruit firmness, and significantly reduced decay incidence after
subsequent prolonged storage. However, ‘Parker’ lost less weight, was firmer and had lower
decay incidence than ‘Nibla’ after 21 d at 7°C and additional 3d at 17°C. HWRB treatment
also impeded polygalacturonase (PG) and Exo- cellulase(Exo-CMCase) enzyme activities, but
not Endo-CMCase activity in fruits, thereby retarding ripening processes and extending the
fruit shelf life. PG exhibited the strongest response to HWRB. Controlling physiological and
pathological deterioration by introducing the use of HWRB technology to suppress some
biochemical pathways involved in fruit ripening and softening could potentiially add
significant value by extending storability and marketing, and is of great commercial
importance.
