Variations in contents of (−)-epicatechin and activities of phenylalanine ammonialyase and polyphenol oxidase of longan fruit during development

Abstract: Longan fruit has attracted much attention by consumers over the world due to the unique sweet–sour taste. However, the fruit brown rapidly at ambient temperature during storage, due to enzyme-catalyzed reaction of phenolics. Experiments were conducted to understand the variations in the levels of total phenolics and (−)-epicatechin as a major substrate for polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in pericarp tissue of longan fruit during development. The activities of phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) and PPO, involved in the synthesis and oxidation of (−)-epicatechin, respectively, during longan fruit development were also measured. During fruit development, the content of total phenolics decreased rapidly and then increased while the content of (−)-epicatechin tended to decrease. Both PAL and PPO activities decreased rapidly at the early fruit development and increased later but the increase of the former appeared was 10days earlier than the latter. Thus, the level of (−)-epicatechin depended largely on PAL activity but it could involve the conversion of (−)-epicatechin into other flavonoids. This study could help develop appropriate preharvest treatments to control pericarp browning of harvested longan fruit by understanding the variation in the level of the major browning substrate during development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]