Heat treatment as postharvest tool for improving quality in extra-early nectarines.

Background: Extra-early nectarine cultivars such as 'VioWhite 5' could present a lack of organoleptic and nutritional quality. Heat treatments (HT) can be applied to improve their primary characteristics. In this experiment, control (non-treated), HT (3 h; 45 °C) and HT (2 h; 50 °C) were studied. Fruit were stored (10 days; 0 ± 0.5 °C; 90-95% RH) followed by a simulated retail sale period (3 days; 15 °C; 70-75% RH).

Results: HT fruit showed higher weight loss (2.76 ± 0.06% and 3.32 ± 0.01% for HT and HT , respectively; vs. 2.23 ± 0.14% for control) and lower firmness than control samples (28.88% and 21.67% less for HT and HT , respectively). HT treatments induced an increase in soluble solids content and a decrease in total acidity, which led to a better sensory quality. These changes were positively received by consumers. Total antioxidant capacity was enhanced by HT due to an increase in phenolic compound content. A higher enzymatic activity was found in pectin methylesterase and polygaracturonase in HT nectarines when compared to control.

Conclusion: The application of HT on extra-early nectarine cv. demonstrated a strong potential to improve consumption quality in the industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.