Changes in quality attributes and volatile profile of ready‐to‐eat “Gabsi” pomegranate arils as affected by storage duration and temperatures

Maintaining the cold chain during long-term storage is important for the preservation of fresh food quality. Arils are usually extracted from freshly harvested pomegranates or after a short storage period. Nevertheless, pomegranate fruit may be stored for several weeks before being marketed as ready-to-eat arils (REA). In this study, the effect of different postharvest storage periods (30, 45, and 60 days) and temperatures (2 and 6°C) on quality of arils extracted immediately after each storage period and then after 10 days shelf-life were investigated. fruit storage period (FSP) affected significantly total phenols, antioxidant activity, and vitamin C content of REA immediately after extraction and after 10 days shelf-life. Color, anthocyanins, and organic acids of REA varied significantly with storage period mainly after shelf-life. The highest changes were observed after 60 days of FSP. Generally, storage temperature has shown no effect on bioactive properties and minimal influence after the aril shelf-life period. Sensory and volatiles changes were affected by storage temperature but most especially by long storage duration. Thus, the aroma profile was markedly separated in heatmap by storage time and temperature. Similar aroma profiles for REA extracted immediately after each storage period or from freshly harvested fruit were distinguished. However, changes were important after shelf-life for stored fruit at 6°C, with more abundance of terpenes such as (Z)-β-farnesene, (E)-α-bergamotene, and α-pinene. The results obtained showed that, minor changes at both storage temperatures on aril were registered, also long-term cold storage determines the final eating quality after shelf-life. Practical applications: Ready-to-eat arils quality is generally affected by several postharvest treatments and conditions. This study used a combination of storage temperatures and duration of “Gabsi” pomegranate fruit to determine the quality of ready aril after shelf-life. Results of aril sensory analysis showed that overall flavor and appearance were highly rated in aril when fruit were stored for 2 months at 2°C. Similarly, results of instrumental measurements showed that fruit could be stored for 2 months at 2°C without significant reductions in compounds of benefit to health and aril color. Storing fruit for 60 days at 6°C led to a reduction in overall quality and changes in the aroma profile of REA. The outcomes of this study suggest that a storage period of 2 months at 2°C is recommended for REA use to maintain sensory quality and minimize reductions in volatile aroma components.