Effects of different storage temperatures on the quality and metabolome of maize with high moisture content

Storage temperature and moisture content are important factors affecting the quality of maize storage. This research investigated the impact of varying temperatures on the quality and metabolite composition of high moisture maize during the storage process. Results showed that as the storage temperature rose, the color, luster, germination potential and germination rate of maize decreased obviously, while the conductivity increased significantly. In addition, the best quality of maize samples was obtained when stored at 15 °C for 90 days (fatty acid value = 30.6 mg/100g) compared to storage at 20 °C (fatty acid value = 72.80 mg/100g) and 35 °C (fatty acid value = 116.46 mg/100g). Moreover, metabolomic analysis indicated that low temperature storage maintained the quality of high-moisture maize mainly by regulating tyrosine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and betalain biosynthetic pathways. The mechanism of quality regulation in low temperature storage of high moisture maize was enriched, providing a new insight into the future application of temperature-controlled storage of high moisture maize.