Changes of the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and respiration rate of blood orange during storage

Blood orange has high nutritional value due to high concentrations of vitamin C، fiber، folate، minerals and phytochemical compounds، such as flavonoids، amino acids، triterpenes، phenolic acids and carotenoids. The blood oranges contain greater amounts of antioxidants than other oranges. Orange fruit continue to respire، after harvest so there are probability changes of bioactive compounds that present in this fruit. The aim of this study was to investigatethe changes of the bioactive compounds، antioxidant activity and their relationship with respiration rate of blood orange during storage. Blood oranges var. sangria was purchased from the Citrus Research Institute of Iran. The fruits were transported to the laboratory immediately after harvesting and were stored at 5-4°C and 85-90% relative humidity for 50 days. Changes of concentration of vitamin C، flavonoid compounds، total carotenoids، antioxidant activity and respiration rate were evaluated once a week during storage. The concentration of vitamin C decreased، but the concentration of flavonoid، total carotenoids، antioxidant activity and respiration rate of blood orange increased during storage. The concentration of vitamin C، flavonoid، total carotenoid، antioxidant activity and respiration rate of blood orange changed during storage. With attendance to nutritional value and the functional compounds of orange fruit، use of appropriate actions are recommended to better maintenance of the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Also، considering effects of respiration rate on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity، decrease of respiration rate of blood orange during storage could lead to be better preservation of the functional compounds.