Changes in the content of water-soluble vitamins in Actinidia chinensis during cold storage

Abstract

The effects of cold storage on nine water-soluble vitamins in seven cultivars of Actinidia chinensis (kiwifruit) were assessed using high-perform­ance liquid chromatography. Samples were collected at three time points during cold storage: one day, 30 days, and when edible. It was found that the vitamin C content in most cultivars increased with cold storage time, but there was no consistent increasing or decreasing trend for the other water-soluble vitamins across the cultivars during storage. After one day of cold storage, vitamins B1 and B2 were the most prevalent vitamins in the control (wild) fruit, while vitamins B5 and B6 were most prevalent in the Hongyang and Qihong cultivars. However, B12 was the most prevalent vitamin in the Qihong cultivar after 30 days of cold storage. Vitamins B3, B7, B9, and C were detected at the edible time point in the Huayou, Hongyang and Jingnong-2 cultivars and in the control fruit. The vitamin contents varied significantly among kiwifruit culti­vars following different durations of cold storage. Out of the three durations tested, 30 days in cold storage was the most suitable for the absorption of water-soluble vitamins by A. chinensis.