Antioxidant Content of Fresh-Cut Pears Stored in High-O₂Active Packages Compared with Conventional Low-O₂Active and Passive Modified Atmosphere Packaging

The antioxidant content of fresh-cut 'Flor de Invierno' ( Pyrus communis L.) pears dipped into a 0.75% w/v N-acetylcysteine + 0.75% w/v glutathione solution and packaged under 70 kPa of O2 atmospheres (HOA) was evaluated as an alternative to actively modified low-O2 atmosphere (LOA) and passively modified atmospheres (PA). Changes in color, vitamin C, individual phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity of fresh-cut pears as well as in O2, CO2, and ethylene headspace concentrations inside the packages were assessed for 14 days at 4 degrees C. Not only did the use of antioxidants prevent browning and reduce ethylene production of fresh-cut pears, but also their application under LOA best maintained vitamin C, chlorogenic acid, and antioxidant capacity compared with HOA. The results show that the use of glutathione and N-acetylcysteine enhanced the formation of phenylpropanoids in fresh-cut pears stored under LOA.