Changes in bioactive compounds and response to postharvest storage conditions in purple eggplants as affected by fruit developmental stage

• Role of harvest date on eggplant bioactives and postharvest response was studied.
• “Baby” eggplants show highest antioxidant (AOX) capacity.
• ChA, carotenoids and AA content decrease during eggplant fruit ripening.
• Harvest within traditional window does not affect AOX and chilling susceptibility.
• Full-sized fruit should be held at 10 °C; “baby” eggplants store better 0 °C.

Fruit maturity stage at harvest influences the response to postharvest storage conditions and bioactive compounds content. In this work fruit from two purple eggplant cultivars (Monarca and Perla Negra) were harvested at 12, 15, 18, 20 and 23 d after fruit set (designated as stages I through V) and changes in size, dry weight, calyx area, cell wall material (AIR, alcohol insoluble residue), firmness, respiration, and antioxidants (peel anthocyanins and pulp carotenoids, ascorbic acid, phenolics and chlorogenic acid) were determined. In a second set of experiments the postharvest performance of fruit harvested at stages I (“baby” eggplants), III and IV (traditional harvest stages) during storage at 0 or 10 °C was assessed. Fruit growth continued until late ripening in contrast to calyx expansion and peel anthocyanin accumulation, which were relatively earlier events. Fruit dry weight decreased between stages I and III, remaining constant afterwards. “Baby” eggplants had higher antioxidant capacity, chlorogenic acid (ChA), carotenoids and ascorbic acid contents than late-harvested fruit. ChA predominated in pulp placental tissues at stage I, spreading throughout the fruit core at as ripening progressed. No marked differences in dry mass, antioxidant capacity or responses to postharvest storage regimes were found between fruit harvested at stages III and IV. Late pickings increased yields and led to less dense fruit, which had lower respiration rates. Within this harvest window, storage at 10 °C maximized quality maintenance. In contrast “baby” eggplants stored better at 0 °C. Understanding the developmental changes in bioactive compounds and postharvest performance may help in the maximization of fruit antioxidant properties as well as in the selection of the optimal handling conditions for each ontogenic stage.