PHYSIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL STUDIES OF CHILLING INJURY IN PEPPER FRUITS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Physiological effects of low temperature (1‐6°C) on pepper fruits were studied during and after exposure for various periods. The CO2 production of the fruits stored at low temperature increased abnormally after transfer to 18°C. There was an accumulation of α‐keto acids in chilled fruits: fumaric, succinic, citric and malic acids were detected and malic increased remarkably during low temperature storage. Using paper chromatography, chlorogenic acid was found to be a main phenolic substance in the pepper seeds: its content increased immediately after exposure of the peppers to low temperature and decreased rapidly during subsequent cold storage. The content of shikimic acid in chilled seeds showed a similar tendency to that of chlorogenic acid; phenylala‐nine ammonia‐lyase (PAL) activity increased rapidly after 2 days' cold storage, then decreased sharply; tyrosine ammonia‐lyase (TAL) activity was fairly low compared with PAL activity.