The Effect of Mechanical Vibration during Transport under Model Conditions on the Shelf-Life, Quality and Physico-Chemical Parameters of Four Apple Cultivars

The study assessed the changes in the quality and physical and chemical parameters of apples of four cultivars (‘Gala’, ‘Idared’, ‘Topaz’, ‘Red Prince’) subjected to mechanical vibration during transport under model conditions and after storage (shelf-life). Quality changes in apples were evaluated based on skin and flesh colour, total soluble solids, dry matter, firmness, titratable acidity, pH value, total polyphenol content, and antioxidant capacity. The vibration applied at a frequency of 28 Hz caused changes in the above parameters, which were visible also after storage and depended on the cultivar, but often did not show any clear trend or direction or were not statistically significant. The values of the total colour difference factor ΔE showed considerable variations in the skin colour but only small variations in the flesh colour of individual cultivars. Vibration resulted in a decrease in firmness. Variations in dry matter, total soluble solids, pH, and titratable acidity were small, often insignificant. Mechanical vibration and storage led to an increase in the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of all studied cultivars. The greatest stability of quality parameters, relatively high content of bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity were observed for ‘Red Prince’. The lowest quality parameters were noted for ‘Gala’. The analysed cultivars continued to show a high level of antioxidant capacity after treatment, which allows the conclusion that they remain a good source of bioactive compounds after transport and short-term storage.