Soil amendment and storage effect the quality of winter melons (benincasa hispida (thunb) cogn.) and their juice

Authors: Bai, Jinhe; Rosskopf, Erin; Jeffries, Kristen; Zhao, Wei; Plotto, Anne

Submitted to: Foods
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/26/2022
Publication Date: 1/3/2023
Citation: Bai, J., Rosskopf, E.N., Jeffries, K.A., Zhao, W., Plotto, A. 2023. Soil amendment and storage effect the quality of winter melons (benincasa hispida (thunb) cogn.) and their juice. Foods. 12(1): 209. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010209.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010209

Interpretive Summary: Winter melon is a desirable crop for production of low sugar fruit juice. A round waxy type winter melon cultivar was grown using anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) compared to a control using conventional fertilizer only. Fruits (> 4.5 kg) were harvested and stored at 20 °C for 120 d and the juice was processed on day one and day 120. Soil amendment substantially increased fruit number and yield from a single harvest date. Plants grown in ASD-treated soil produced fruit that were less mature and more tender, losing more weight during storage. Nevertheless, the juice yield of ASD fresh fruit was significantly higher and remained more stable after storage than that of the control fruit. Storing fruit for 120 d did not affect the juice yield or volatile profile, an asset for processing management.

Technical Abstract: A round waxy type winter melon cultivar was grown in an anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) amended and control field. Fruit (> 4.5 kg) were harvested and stored at 20 °C for 120 d, and the juice was processed on day one and day 120. ASD substantially increased fruit yield from a single harvest date. And ASD affected fruit texture and the surface wax coating. ASD fruit lost more weight during the storage than control. Juice yields of ASD fruit were significantly higher. ZETA Potential values indicate ASD fruit juice were more stable than that of the control fruit. Storing fruit for 120 d did not considerably change the juice yield or volatile profile. Soluble solids content (SSC) was 2.11-2.43%. During the storage, pH values decreased from 5.45 to 5.19 and 5.60 to 5.21, respectively for ASD juice and control; and in agreement with this, titratable acidity (TA) content increased after the storage. Control fruit contained higher concentration of volatile compounds, most of them contributing green, grass, and sulfur notes, and negatively influencing flavor quality. In conclusion, soil amendment significantly increased fruit yield, juice production and stability, and decreased off-odor volatiles. There was a substantial fruit weight loss after 120 d in storage; however, juice yield and quality remained similar to freshly harvested fruit.