Effect of Temperature and Storage Period on Biochemical Changes and Postharvest Quality of Moro Blood Orange Fruit (Citrus sinensis cv. Moro)

Quality and flesh colour characteristics of blood oranges following harvest is related to and dependent upon temperature and storage conditions. To investigate the effects of different temperatures (8، 15 and 22ºC) and different storage period (0، 25، 50 and 75 days) on total soluble solids، titrable acidity، pH، ascorbic acid، total phenolic contents، antioxidant capacity، anthocyanin level، activity of L-phenylalanin ammonia-lyase، and as well on total protein content in ripe Moro blood orange، a factorial experiment، based upon a completely randomized design of 3 replications was performed. The results revealed that at 8ºC and after 75 days past، phenylalanin ammonia-lyase activity and total protein increased concomitantly with total anthocyanin، but antioxidant capacity and total phenols decreased. Besides، in other temperatures this process has been on the decrease. The highest vitamin C content، titrable acidity as well as total soluble solids were evaluated in control fruits before storage and were shown to decrease after 75 days of storage. As a final result، all the evaluated characteristics of Moro blood orange decreased considerably by increase in temperature and in storage period.