The effect of putrescine applications on post-harvest fruit quality in jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.)

As the nutritional and health benefits of jujube fruit have become more widely recognized, its consumption has been increasing steadily. Due to its content of phytochemicals, jujube has started to be included in diet programs. However, as with many other fruit species, post-harvest losses in product and quality are also observed in jujube during storage. In order to minimize these losses, various treatments are being tested to extend the shelf life of consumable products. In this study, putrescine at different concentrations (Control, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mM) was applied to jujube fruit to reduce the losses during storage and to preserve the concentration of bioactive compounds in the fruit, which was then stored. The fruits were stored for 30 days at 4°C and 90% relative humidity. Throughout the storage period, analyses were performed on the fruits, including weight loss, flesh firmness, spoilage rate, soluble solid content, pH, titratable acidity, fruit color, total protein, total antioxidant content, total anthocyanin, and total phenolic content. At the end of the storage period, weight loss was highest in the control group (1.63%), while flesh firmness was greatest with the 1.5 mM putrescine treatment (6.43 kg cm⁻²). The highest levels of soluble solids, pH, and titratable acidity were observed in the control group, at 29.55%, 4.89, and 0.28%, respectively. Additionally, the control group exhibited the highest total antioxidant content (38.92%). The 0.5 mM putrescine treatment produced the highest total protein and total anthocyanin levels, at 1.92% and 9.34 mg L⁻², respectively. Furthermore, the highest total phenolic content was observed in both the control group and the 0.5 mM putrescine treatment, measured at 0.72 mg g⁻². In conclusion, the application of putrescine at specific concentrations had positive effects on maintaining fruit quality parameters in jujube.