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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #223567
Title: Effect of Storage Temperatures on Fruit Quality of Various Cranberry Cultivars

Author
item Wang, Chien
item Wang, Shiow

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/13/2008
Publication Date: 3/3/2009
Citation: Wang, C.Y., Wang, S.Y. 2009. Effect of Storage Temperatures on Fruit Quality of Various Cranberry Cultivars. Acta Horticulturae. 810:853-861.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Nine cultivars of cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) were stored at four different temperatures (0, 5, 10, and 15 °C) and were evaluated for decay, chilling injury, sugars, organic acids, fatty acids, total anthocyanins, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and individual flavonoids after 3 or 4 months of storage. Cranberries had high antioxidant activity (ORAC). ORAC values, anthocyanins and total phenolics content increased during storage. The highest increases occurred at 15 °C storage. Peonidin 3-galactoside, cyanidin 3-galactoside, quercetin 3-galactoside and peonidin 3-arabinoside were the predominate flavonoids in cranberries. Susceptibility to chilling injury and decay varies with different cultivars. Cvs. Ben Lear, Cropper, Early Black, and Stevens showed severe symptoms of chilling injury and decay at the end of 3 or 4 months storage at 0 °C. Cvs. Crowley, Howes, and Pilgrim were relatively resistant to chilling injury and decay, while cvs. Franklin and Wilcox were moderately susceptible. Susceptibility was found to be related to the fatty acid composition and ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid in phospholipids and glycolipids, but was not associated with antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, phenolics, or individual flavonoids. Storage temperatures also affected the content of glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch, citric acid, malic acid, and quinic acid. Storage at 5 °C was found to be the optimum holding temperature with the least chilling injury symptom and decay for all the cranberry cultivars evaluated.