LAUSR

BACKGROUND Blueberries are appreciated by consumers for the rich natural antioxidants and high nutritional and health functions. However, blueberries are very perishable due to microbial infection and metabolic aging after harvest. Ethanol has been shown to have the effect of controlling postharvest microorganisms and improving storage quality of fruits and vegetables. This study aimed to clarify the effects of ethanol on the appearance quality and flavor attributes of postharvest blueberries. Blueberries were treated with ethanol (250, 500, and 1000 μL L-1 ) and stored at 0±0.5 °C, 90% RH, for 40d. RESULTS The results indicated that ethanol treatment could slow down the decline of blueberry firmness, and reduce the decay rate significantly in a dose-dependent manner. The SSC and TA of ethanol-treated blueberries increased significantly (P < 0.05), improving the taste of the blueberries. The activities of ADH and PDC were stimulated with the accumulation of ethanol in blueberries, which catalyzed the conversion of ethanol, acetaldehyde, and pyruvate, increasing their levels in blueberries. More volatiles, especially esters, were detected in ethanol-treated blueberries, e.g., Methyl acetate, Ethyl acetate, Ethyl propanoate, Ethyl isobutyrate, Ethyl 2-Methylbutanoate, Ethyl isovalerate, Ethyl 3-Methyl-2-butenoate, Diethyl sebacate, and Isopropyl myristate. CONCLUSION The preservative effect of ethanol on blueberry was significantly affected by ethanol concentration. In this study, the effect of 500 μL L-1 ethanol fumigation on blueberry was the best in terms of appearance quality (firmness and decay rate) and flavor attributes (SSC, TA, and volatiles). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.