MISTING AFFECTS MARKET QUALITY AND ENZYME-ACTIVITY OF BROCCOLI DURING RETAIL STORAGE

Vitamin C, enzyme activities, color and texture changed in misted and nonmisted broccoli at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hr intervals during display cabinet storage (18-degrees-C). Reduced ascorbic acid (RAA), ascorbate oxidase and peroxidase activities, total chlorophyll extractions, Hunter-lab color and Instron texture measurements were followed. Misting significantly enhanced RAA (p = 0.0001), and retention of chlorophyll (p=0.0001), and green color as measured by hue angle (p=0.0021) during 72 hr storage. RAA degradation in misted and nonmisted broccoli and total chlorophyll degradation in nonmisted samples followed first order kinetics. Peroxidase activity was significantly greater in both the nonmisted broccoli floret/stem (p=0.0221) and stalk tissue (p=0.0079). No significant differences were found between misted and nonmisted broccoli for ascorbate oxidase activity (p=0.9426) or Instron shear values (p=0.3652).