Effects of low-oxygen atmosphere on ethanolic fermentation in fresh-cut carrots

Abstract

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) root shreds were stored under a continuous flow of 0.5% and 2% O2 (balance N2) or in air for 7 days at 5 and 15°C to study the regulation of ethanolic fermentation metabolism. Low-O2 atmospheres of 0.5% and 2% caused increases in ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations and the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) compared to air. By day 3, ethanol increased 38-, 25-, 13-, and 9.5-fold; acetaldehyde increased 20-, 13-, 7.7-, and 5.6-fold; ADH increased 7.6-, 6.3-, 3.8-, and 2.7-fold; and PDC increased 4.2-, 3.9-, 2.3-, and 2.2-fold in samples at 0.5% O2 at 15 or 5°C and at 2% O2 at 15 or 5°C, respectively, compared with corresponding samples in air. These results indicate that ethanolic fermentation was accelerated more in the 0.5% than in the 2% O2 atmosphere and more at 15°C than at 5°C. The acceleration ethanolic fermentation may allow production of some ATP, which may permit the carrot tissues to survive.