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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314547
Title: Effect of methyl salicylate and methyl jasmonate pre-treatment on the volatile profile in tomato fruit subjected to chilling temperature

Author
item WANG, LIBIN - Nanjing Agricultural University
item Baldwin, Elizabeth - Liz
item Plotto, Anne
item LUO, WEIQI - North Carolina State University
item Raithore, Smita
item YU, ZHIFANG - Nanjing Agricultural University
item Bai, Jinhe

Submitted to: Postharvest Biology and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/2015
Publication Date: 5/27/2015
Citation: Wang, L., Baldwin, E.A., Plotto, A., Luo, W., Raithore, S., Yu, Z., Bai, J. 2015. Effect of methyl salicylate and methyl jasmonate pre-treatment on the volatile profile in tomato fruit subjected to chilling temperature. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 108:28-38.

Interpretive Summary: This study provides strong evidence that a methyl salicylate fumigation prior to storage alleviated chilling temperature (5 °C) caused flavor loss in tomatoes. The technology is useful to the tomato industry which suffers decay loss when tomato storage/transportation temperature is high, on the other hand, suffers flavor loss when the temperature is low.

Technical Abstract: Tomato fruits exposed to chilling temperatures suffer aroma loss prior to visual chilling injury (CI) symptoms. Methyl salicylate (MeSA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments were reported to alleviate the development of visual CI, however, it is unknown if the treatments alleviate internal CI in the form of aroma loss. In this research, ‘FL 47’ tomatoes at breaker stage were treated with MeSA or MeJA vapor prior to chillingexposure to chilling temperature. The chilling treatment did not result in visual CI; however, for internal CI it generally suppressed production of oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds, ketones, sulfur- and nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, alcohols, and aldehydes, including 13 important aroma contributors to tomato fruit. MeJA had no impact on sensory evaluation in spite of resulting in slightly altered volatile profile, however, MeSA alleviated the CI-induced reduction of a number of volatile compounds, and thereby enhanced tomato aroma.