The effect of freezing, frozen storage and thawing on the strawberry fruit composition

Šimkova, Kristyna (author), Grohar, Mariana Cecilia (author), Pelacci, Massimiliano (author), Veberič, Robert (author), Jakopič, Jerneja (author), Hudina, Metka (author)

Strawberries intended for processing are usually frozen to withstand storage and distribution. However, freezing and thawing can cause the degradation of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal conditions for frozen storage and thawing to minimize any loss of nutrients prior processing. Different freezing treatments (−20°C, shock-freezing with liquid nitrogen, −80 °C) up to 6 months of storage and thawing treatments (4°C, room temperature, 37°C, microwave) were compared based on the content of organic acids, sugars, and phenolic compounds as well as the activity of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase. During frozen storage at −20°C over 6 months, the sucrose content decreased by 59%, but only a 17% loss of ascorbic acid was observed, and no significant loss of anthocyanins was detected. However, more significant changes in composition were detected after thawing. When thawed at 4°C for 24 h, ascorbic acid content decreased by 32%, anthocyanin content by 30%, and sucrose content by 66%. Based on our study, the frozen storage caused smaller changes in the fruit’s composition than thawing. From the thawing procedures, the microwave thawing showed minimal changes in the composition of strawberries.

• Language: English
• Keywords: anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, enzyme activity, freezing, phenolic compounds, strawberry
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 186-199
• Numbering: Vol. 24, No. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-158306
• UDC: 634
• ISSN on article: 1553-8362
• DOI: 10.1080/15538362.2024.2355920
• COBISS.SI-ID: 197693699
• Publication date in RUL: 04.06.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: International journal of fruit science
• Shortened title: Int. j. fruit sci.
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1553-8362
• COBISS.SI-ID: 4602745

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: jagode, zamrzovanje, odmrzovanje, hranilna vrednost, kemična sestava, fenolne spojine, razgradnja bioaktivnih snovi

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Project number: 956257
• Name: Establishing a strong and lasting international training network for innovation in food and juice industries: a 4D-research approach for fruit juice processing
• Acronym: HiStabJuice

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