Extending shelf-life of fresh-cut apples using manna from ash tree (Fraxinus angustifolia) as natural antioxidant agent in comparision with calcium ascorbate.

Manna is the sap extracted in summer from the phloem of the stem and the old branches of Fraxinus sp. trees. Its composition is characterized by a high content of D-mannitol, gallic acid, tyrosol and a great antioxidant activity. The aim of the present work was to compare the effect of a solution enriched with manna or calcium ascorbate, the latter widely used by researchers as an antioxidant agent on the control of browning of apple slices. After harvest, apple fruit were cut, treated with manna (MN), calcium ascorbate (CA) or with distilled water as a control (CTR), and packed in polylactic acid (PLA) packaging. Physical, chemical and sensory analyses were performed after 3, 5, 7 and 10 days of storage at 5±0.5 °C. After one week of storage, manna and calcium ascorbate-based treatment significantly inhibited apple fruit slices browning of cut surface, to the same extent, while no significant differences occurred in terms of weight loss, DPPH, total carotenoids and flavor score. On the whole, manna may inhibit apple slices water loss without affecting fruit flavour and providing the maintenance of their shelf-life. It seems that manna and calcium ascorbate mechanism and effect on browning inhibition are very similar and account for maintaining stored apple slices shelf-life up to 7 days. Therefore, our work lays the foundations for the use of manna as a natural antioxidant compound capable of reducing fresh-cut enzymatic browning