Pre-storage methionine treatment inhibits postharvest enzymatic browning of cold stored 'Gola' litchi fruit

Antibrowning effect of methionine was investigated on litchi fruit. Fruit were treated with 0.25% methionine and kept under cold-storage at 5 ± 1 °C for 28 d. Methionine treatment reduced weight loss, and inhibited fruit decay. Methionine application to litchi fruit significantly reduced pericarp browning, malondialdehyde content, hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte leakage and peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase activities with conserved pericarp anthocyanins. The treated fruit also had higher ascorbic acid contents, total phenolics, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-radical (DPPH) scavenging activity, and activities of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase enzymes. Methionine treated fruit also showed higher soluble solid contents, titratable acidity, and sensory attributes with reduced sugar: acid ratio. In conclusion, postharvest methionine application to litchi fruit showed significantly reduced browning, higher antioxidative activities, and maintained quality.