GAI Xiaoyang, ZHANG Min, HU Junru, LI Jiale, ZHENG Kai, FANG Jiaqi, LING Yu
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of hot air treatments with different humidity on low-temperature storage quality and antioxidant system of zucchini fruits. The postharvest zucchini fruits were treated with hot air (44 ℃, 2.3 h) combined with different humidity (40%, 60%, 80%, 90%), and then stored at (4±0.5) ℃ and RH (80±5)%. The weight loss, chilling injury, electrolyte leakage, ascorbic acid content , catalase activity and other indicators were measured,and heat transfer analysis on the hot air treatment process with different humidity was conducted. The results showed that compared with other treatment groups, the 80% humidity heat treatment group had a gentler central heating rate and a faster epidermal heating rate, and it alco could reduce the cold injury symptoms and body softening of zucchini fruits under low-temperature storage. The weight loss was also slowed down. At the same time, the hot air treatment group could significantly reduce the fruit electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content, maintain the high activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase. Besides, it delayed the decrease of ascorbic acid content to maintain high active oxygen scavenging ability, inhibited the increase of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion as well. Compared with other humidity treatments, 80% humidity hot air treatment could effectively reduce the excessive accumulation of thermal stress, and could also enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes under low-temperature storage, reduced oxidative damage and cold injury. This study provides a new reference and ideas for the process of hot air treatment and low-temperature storage of zucchini.