Spoiling fruit and vegetables have more antioxidants: study

Belgian scientists have reported that fruits and vegetables do not lose any antioxidant content in the days after purchase, even as tell-tale signs of spoilage appear.

In some cases, antioxidant levels actually rise.

The life of a post-harvest fruit or vegetable is traditionally defined in terms of visual appearance and texture. While this is good for aesthetics, these benchmarks disregard flavour and nutritional quality "” especially with regards to antioxidants, which are affected by genetic, technological and environmental factors.

"No important studies were done to evaluate the influence of storage on antioxidant capacity," the authors said.

To that end, Claire Kevers and her colleagues obtained various produce from the Belgian market, measuring its initial antioxidant content. They stored the fruits and vegetables at room temperature and refrigerated some at 4°C, checking antioxidant levels at various times until the produce presented visual spoilage.

The results showed that, in the days following purchase, fruits and vegetables do not lose any phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid or flavonols "” a trio of chemical classes associated with antioxidant content.

"In some cases, an increase on the antioxidant capacity was observed in the days following their purchase, accompanied by an increase in phenolic compounds," the researchers state.

Titled Evolution of Antioxidant Capacity during Storage of Selected Fruits and Vegetables, the study will appear in the 17 October issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.