Comparative analysis of enzymatic activity, phenolic and ascorbic acid stability and browning dynamic in white and red-fleshed apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars post-air exposure

Juhart, Jan (author), Grohar, Mariana Cecilia (author), Štampar, Franci (author), Hudina, Metka (author), Šimkova, Kristyna (author), Jakopič, Jerneja (author), Medič, Aljaž (author)

This study investigates enzymatic browning in several white- and red-fleshed apple cultivars by analyzing polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POX) activities, total phenolic content (TPC), anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, and color changes during air exposure. Six white-fleshed cultivars (‘Topaz’, ‘Opal’, ‘Red Boskoop’, ‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Crown Prince Rudolph’, ‘Idared’) and the red-fleshed cultivar ‘Baya Marisa’ were evaluated. Results revealed cultivar-specific enzymatic activity influencing browning susceptibility. ‘Idared’ exhibited the highest PPO activity and the strongest browning potential, while ‘Baya Marisa’ showed low PPO but unexpectedly high POX activity. All white-fleshed cultivars were prone to browning, as indicated by a significant increase in browning index (BI) from 0 to 480 min. In contrast, ‘Baya Marisa’ showed minimal color change and no significant BI variation, suggesting limited browning. However, due to high a* values, BI may not be suitable for assessing browning in red-fleshed cultivars. ‘Golden Delicious’ had the highest initial ascorbic acid concentration and the slowest degradation rate. ‘Baya Marisa’ consistently exhibited the highest TPC, attributed to elevated anthocyanin levels. These findings emphasize the importance of cultivar selection in managing browning and highlight limitations of BI as a universal indicator, particularly for red-fleshed apples.

• Language: English
• Keywords: enzyme activity, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, phenolic content, browning index, time degradation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 147, art. 108040
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-171120
• UDC: 634.11
• ISSN on article: 0889-1575
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2025.108040
• COBISS.SI-ID: 243597827
• Publication date in RUL: 06.08.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of food composition and analysis
• Shortened title: J. food compos. anal.
• Publisher: Academic Press
• ISSN: 0889-1575
• COBISS.SI-ID: 25742848

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: encimska aktivnost, polifenol-oksidaza, peroksidaza, vsebnost fenolov, degradacija

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0013
• Name: Hortikultura