Agriculture & Horticulture

Biography

Biography: Ambani Richardo Mudau

Abstract

Baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea L) is a member of the Amaranthaceae family. Its leaves have a very high respiration rate thus post-harvest quality is affected mostly by tissue decay and the development of off-odours. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the influence of storage temperature and time on the post-harvest quality of baby spinach. Baby spinach leaves were harvested at 36 days after planting and subsequently stored at 4Ëš C or 22Ëš C for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 days. Thereafter the leaves were incubated for 72 hours at 40Ëš C to dry. Minerals, trace elements, total phenols, total carotenoids, flavonoids and antioxidant activities were measured. Composition of magnesium, zinc and iron declined after 8 days of storage at 4Ëš C whilst at 22Ëš C, they declined after 2 days of storage. Magnesium, zinc and iron revealed a similar trend with significantly higher carotenoids found up to 6 days in storage at 4Ëš C whilst at 22Ëš C the carotenoid levels declined after only 2 days. Total phenolic compounds gradually decreased in samples stored at 4Ëš C. However, samples stored at 22Ëš C showed a rapid decrease after 4 days. Both total antioxidant activities and Vitamin C content showed a similar trend with the content remaining constant at 4Ëš C and decreasing after 6 days, whereas the total antioxidant activities and vitamin C for leaves stored at 22Ëš C decreased immediately after 2 days. However, storage time and temperature did not exhibit significant effects on selenium. Results demonstrated that quality of baby spinach deteriorates as storage time and temperature increase.