Widjaja Fanny, Steensma Priscille, Annala Leevi, Klami Arto, Kangasjärvi Saijaliisa, Lehtonen Mari, Mikkonen Kirsi S
Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 68, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
Curr Res Food Sci. 2024 Dec 15;10:100959. doi: 10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100959. eCollection 2025.
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is a conventional method used to prolong the shelf-life of fresh-cut vegetables, including lettuce. However, MAP-stored lettuce remains perishable, and its deterioration mechanism is not fully understood. Here, we utilized non-targeted LC-MS metabolomics to evaluate the effects of cutting and extended storage time on metabolite profiles of lettuce stored in MAP. Additionally, hyperspectral imaging was used to measure perceptual changes. Our findings reveal a bipartite response to wounding. In early storage, enzymatic browning was the main response to wounding, evidenced by accumulation of caffeic acid derivatives and flavonoids, substrates for polyphenol oxidases. As storage progressed, enzymatic browning was inhibited, and a shift towards lignification became apparent, evidenced by accumulation of monolignol derivatives. These findings offer new insights into the deterioration mechanism of fresh-cut lettuce occurring in MAP.
气调包装（MAP）是一种用于延长包括生菜在内的鲜切蔬菜货架期的传统方法。然而，气调包装储存的生菜仍然易腐，其变质机制尚未完全了解。在此，我们利用非靶向液相色谱-质谱代谢组学来评估切割和延长储存时间对气调包装储存生菜代谢物谱的影响。此外，还使用高光谱成像来测量感官变化。我们的研究结果揭示了对创伤的双重反应。在储存早期，酶促褐变是对创伤的主要反应，咖啡酸衍生物和黄酮类化合物（多酚氧化酶的底物）的积累证明了这一点。随着储存时间的延长，酶促褐变受到抑制，木质化趋势变得明显，单木质醇衍生物的积累证明了这一点。这些发现为气调包装中鲜切生菜的变质机制提供了新的见解。
