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Cryoprotectant efficacy across fruit matrices: a comparative study of apples and grapes.

Author(s) : OTHMAN M., AMRAN N. A., WAN OSMAN W. N. A., ADAMU H.

Type of article: IJR article

Summary

The application of cryoprotectants is a promising strategy to mitigate freezing-induced quality deterioration in fresh-cut fruits; however, comparative evidence across fruit matrices and application strategies remains limited. This study systematically evaluated the cryoprotective efficacy of glycerol, sorbitol, and xylitol at 50 %, 75 %, and 100 % concentrations using two exposure strategies which are prolonged soaking and short-term dipping under aqueous and anhydrous conditions in Royal Gala apples and Shine Muscat grapes. Post-thaw quality was assessed in terms of morphological integrity, water loss, and soluble solid (Brix) retention. Across both fruits, soaking treatments resulted in substantial water loss, reaching 27.74–37.58 % in grapes and 48.79–63.77 % in apples, indicating pronounced osmotic dehydration. In contrast, dipping treatments significantly reduced water loss to below 2.5 % for grapes and below 5.2 % for apples, regardless of cryoprotectant type. Among the formulations, xylitol-based systems consistently outperformed glycerol and sorbitol, particularly at higher concentrations. For Shine Muscat grapes, 75–100 % xylitol dipping limited water loss to 1.86–2.17 %, while Royal Gala apples treated with 50 % xylitol dipping exhibited the lowest water loss (2.91 %) among all tested conditions. These treatments also preserved tissue firmness and maintained soluble solid content more effectively than glycerol-rich formulations. Overall, the findings demonstrate that xylitol-dominant, anhydrous dipping
protocols provide superior cryoprotection across fruits with contrasting cellular structures, offering a scalable, clean-label strategy for improving frozen fruit quality and stability.

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Pages: 16 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Cryoprotectant efficacy across fruit matrices: a comparative study of apples and grapes.
  • Record ID : 30034856
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: International Journal of Refrigeration - Revue Internationale du Froid - vol. 186
  • Publication date: 2026/06
  • DOI: http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2026.02.031

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