Phenolic content of strawberry spreads during processing and storage

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Phenolic compounds in strawberry spreads contribute to nutritional and sensorial quality.
• Industrial processing and storage conditions significantly impact phenolic compound stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the impact of different industrial processing and storage conditions on phenolic retention in strawberry spreads.
• To identify specific phenolic compounds that are stable or degrade during storage.

Main Methods:

• Spectrophotometric determination of total phenolics.
• Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for identifying and quantifying individual phenolics (anthocyanins, phenolic acids, flavonols, flavanol, flavone).
• Evaluation of phenolic content over 19 weeks under various storage conditions.

Main Results:

• Storage significantly modified phenolic profiles; total anthocyanins, vanillic acid, kaempferol, and luteolin decreased, while salicylic and gallic acids increased.
• Total phenolics, cyanidin 3-(6″-succinyl-glucoside), protocatechuic acid, quercetin, and catechin demonstrated stability.
• Optimal phenolic retention was achieved at 4 °C, indicating the benefit of a cold chain.

Conclusions:

• A cold chain storage process is effective in maintaining high levels of phenolics in strawberry spreads.
• Maintaining phenolic integrity ensures high nutritional and sensorial quality of strawberry products.
• The study identified novel phenolic compound stability and degradation patterns during storage.