Comparative effect of heat, S0(2) and ascorbic acid on polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities of some fruits and vegetables

The objective of this work was to study the comparative effect of heat, S0(2) and ascorbic acid treatments on polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities, aiming to select the best method to control the enzymatic browning for each of the fruits and vegetables studied. The results showed that for banana, peach, apple, carrot, cauli-flower and heart-of-palm, heat was the best inactivating method of the enzyme system responsible for browning. S0(2) was more efficient for pear, whereas ascorbic acid was considered the best inhibitor for fig and potato.

Enzyme inactivation; fruits; vegetables; polyphenol oxidase; peroxidase