New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

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Review
Effects of postharvest handling conditions and cooking on anthocyanin, lycopene, and glucosinolate content and bioavailability in fruits and vegetables

R. B. Jones

Knoxfield Centre
Primary Industries Research Victoria
Private Bag 15, Ferntree Gully DC
Vic 3156, Australia
email: rod.jones@dpi.vic.gov.au

Abstract The parameters for maintaining visual and nutritional quality in fruits and vegetables after harvest are well understood, with low temperature maintenance being of paramount importance. Recently, much attention has been focused on the phytochemicals contained within fruits and vegetables that may help prevent the onset of certain cancers and cardiovascular disease. At this early stage in our knowledge of the bioefficacy of phytochemicals, it appears the most important are flavonoids, including anthocyanins and flavonols, carotenoids, including lycopene, and sulfur-containing compounds such as glucosinolates and cysteine sulfoxides. Relatively little is known, however, of the effects of commonly used postharvest handling procedures designed to maintain quality, such as temperature, relative humidity, storage under controlled atmospheres (CA) or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and processing on phytochemical content. This review looks at the effect of postharvest conditions on these three classes of phytochemicals. In addition, the significant, and sometimes neglected effects of cooking on phytochemical content and bioavailability are considered. In most instances, conditions that contribute to loss of cellular integrity caused a decline in phytochemical content, but there are important exceptions where processing and/or cooking increased the availability of phytochemicals.

Keywords postharvest; phytochemical; fruit; vegetable; storage; CA; MAP; cooking; processing

New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2007, Vol. 35: 219–227
0014–0671/07/3502–0219 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2006
H05129; Online publication date 15 May 2007. Received 31 October 2005; accepted 3 May 2006

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