Evolution of Antioxidant Capacity during Storage of Selected Fruits and Vegetables

TLDR

Fresh fruits and vegetables are prized for their bioactive nutrients, particularly antioxidants, with strawberries and black grapes standing out for high phenolic, ascorbic acid, and flavonol content. During storage, most produce maintained or even increased antioxidant capacity, visual spoilage preceded any loss except in banana and broccoli, and ascorbic acid and flavonoid levels remained largely stable.

Abstract

Interest in the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is, to a large extent, due to its content of bioactive nutrients and their importance as dietary antioxidants. Among all of the selected fruits and vegetables, strawberries and black grapes have relatively high antioxidant capacities associated with high contents of total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and flavonols. More interesting, the results of this study indicated that in most fruits and vegetables storage did not affect negatively the antioxidant capacity. Better, in some cases, an increase of the antioxidant capacity was observed in the days following their purchase, accompanied by an increase in phenolic compounds. In general, fruits and vegetables visually spoil before any significant antioxidant capacity loss occurs except in banana and broccoli. When ascorbic acid or flavonoids (aglycons of flavonols and anthocyanins) were concerned, the conclusions were similar. Their content was generally stable during storage.