Influence of Storage Environments and Packaging Materials on the Bioactive Compounds in Citri Reticulatae...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Phytochemistry
• Traditional Chinese Medicine

Background:

• Guang Chenpi (GCP), aged citrus peel (≥3 years), has significant medicinal and culinary value.
• Lack of standardized storage guidelines hinders industrial production and quality control of GCP.
• Optimizing storage is crucial for preserving bioactive compounds and ensuring proper maturation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the impact of temperature, humidity, and container materials on GCP's chemical composition during storage.
• To identify optimal storage conditions for preserving bioactive compounds and standardizing GCP quality.
• To provide scientific guidelines for the industrial storage of Guang Chenpi.

Main Methods:

• Storage experiments conducted over 24 months under varied conditions (temperature, humidity, container types).
• Quantification of total flavonoids, polymethoxyflavones, and phenolic acids using UV spectrophotometry.
• Analysis of eight key bioactive markers (e.g., hesperidin, ferulic acid) via HPLC-PDA and volatile oils via GC-MS.
• Assessment of antioxidant activity using DPPH assays.

Main Results:

• Low temperature/humidity (4°C/35%-40%) inhibited GCP aging.
• High temperature/humidity (35°C/>85%) accelerated ferulic acid formation (7-fold) but reduced total flavonoids and Methyl 2-(methylamino) benzoate.
• Polyethylene (PE) bags better preserved total flavonoids and hesperidin compared to gunny bags, which showed significant Methyl 2-(methylamino) benzoate loss.

Conclusions:

• Storage conditions (temperature, humidity, container) critically influence GCP's chemical profile during aging.
• Avoiding prolonged exposure to extreme low or high temperature/humidity is essential for quality standardization.
• Utilizing oxygen-permeable containers like PE bags is recommended for late-stage storage to maintain bioactive compound integrity.