Improving Biogenic Amines and Combating Botrytis cinerea Decay in ‘Golden Delicious’ Apples With Post-Harvest Essential Oil Treatments

Abstract

Malus Domestica Borkhausen, commonly known as ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, are highly favored for their nutritional attributes, including crisp texture, robust flavor, sweetness, firmness, color, and a rich array of phytochemical compounds, predominantly polyphenols. Despite their popularity, apples have a limited shelf life, particularly when stored at room temperature. EOs have emerged as a secure postharvest technology with the potential to mitigate post-harvest losses and preserve both labile constituents and overall quality. This study sought to assess the impact of EOs treatments on BAs within ‘Golden Delicious’ apple cultivar and their efficacy in combatting Botrytis cinerea during both protective and curative phases. Interestingly, a strong positive interplay was observed among Cad, His, and Try, while these BAs exhibited a negative association with Dop, Tma, and Nor. EOs treatments exhibited a general tendency to augment the levels of BAs during both preventive and curative periods. Put, Cad, His, and Try were identified as the predominant BAs in ‘Golden Delicious’ apple cultivar during the preventive and curative phases. The interrelation between EOs treatments and application timelines was found to be significantly associated with the levels of BAs, particularly involving combinations such as Eug + Fun, Cin + Fun, Thy + Eug + Fun, Thy + Cin + Fun, Thy + Cin + Eug + Fun, and curative phases. The outcomes of the investigation revealed that the combination of Fun + Thy + Cin + Eug treatments during the protective and curative phases was notably effective in reducing the incidence of fruit decay attributed to B. cinerea. Conversely, the study established correlations with terms such as Fungus, Cin + Eug + Fun, Thy + Fun, control, and protective. In conclusion, the research indicates the dual functionality of EOs application, both as a preventive measure against pathogenic agents such as B. cinerea and as a regulator of potentially harmful BAs within the apples. These findings hold promise for improving the quality and safety of ‘Golden Delicious’ apples in the marketplace, addressing both shelf life and consumer health considerations.