USE OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING IMPROVES ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS DURING POSTHARVEST STORAGE OF 'COLLAR' FIGS

Fig fruit has a short life and therefore exhibits very limited marketing. There is also a significant lack of awareness about contents of bioactive compounds in these fruits and how they evolve during postharvest storage. In this work we determined the antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds of figs (Ficus carica ‘Collar’) during modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) or unpacked (control) in order to improve the shelf life. Figs were stored at 2°C during 28 days.
The results of this study showed that bioactive compounds exhibited a different behavior in which total antioxidant activity and total polyphenols increased and the anthocyanins evolution was delayed under MAP condition in comparison with unpacked figs just under cold storage conditions. Bioactive compounds were different in the skin and in the flesh, and a combination of MAP technique with the cold storage resulted in higher values of the compounds in figs when compared with control samples. Therefore, MAP technique during cold storage could be a good tool to improve antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds of figs.