Cold damage affects the quality of noni fruits (Morinda citrifolia L.)

The fruits of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) adapt very well to tropical and subtropical climates. However, the effect of using lower temperatures for their conservation is still unknown. This work evaluated the effect of cold damage on postharvest quality of noni fruits submitted to storage at low temperatures. The sanitized fruits were stored at different temperatures (6–12 °C) for 120 h. The influence of cold on the physical-chemical characteristics (incidence of damage, soluble solids and electrolyte extravasation), bioactive (phenolic compounds) and enzymatic (peroxidase activity and lipid peroxidation) was investigated. It was observed that the fruits submitted to the lowest temperatures (6 and 7 °C) and exposed for longer periods of time (72–120 h) presented a higher incidence of damage, which affected their normal ripening process. On the other hand, the fruits stored at temperatures above 10 °C maintained their normal metabolic processes and showed no signs of damage caused by cold. In addition, are strongly indicated for the storage of noni fruits because they promote better conservation, maintain normal color, and increase the content of phenolic compounds.