An astringent persimmon is difficult to be consumed as a
fresh fruit due to its astringent taste, so it is changed into
process food such as dried persimmon, mellowed
persimmon, sliced and dried persimmon, persimmon vinegar,
frozen soft persimmon, etc[1][3]. Since, in case of dried
persimmon or semi-dried persimmon. Browning occurs on
the surface of a persimmon while peeled and dried, most
persimmon farmers conduct sulfur fumigation for prevention
of browning or microorganism.
Food browning is divided into enzymatic and nonenzymatic
browning, and browning that occurs in the tissue
of plants has been known to have relation to creation of
browning substances caused by enzymatic oxidization of
phenolic compound. Enzymatic browning needs activated
enzyme and oxygen, and fiber. If one of those factors is
removed, enzymatic browning can be prevented[5].
Since browning occurred in agricultural products or food
is an important element in loss of quality, so many scientist
have been studied on browning of food. It was reported that
there is no significant difference in the contents of phenolic
compound or activity of phenol oxidase (PPO) between
browning fruits and normal fruits in case of Fuji apples[6].
Browning of fruit juice occurring at sweet persimmons was
assumed to generate in such a way that increase of PPO
activation or of phenolic compound was ambiguous and
discharge of phenolic compound existing in vacuole as well
as increase of cell-membrane permeability make it easy to
contact with phenol oxidase. In case of peeled garlic, it was
reported that the browning degree of the specimen surface
and the titer of PPO increased as storage period went by
while the more browning degree of cut green pepper
increased the less the titer of the enzyme reduced[4].
Browning of fruits was caused by several elements such
as cultivating environment, storage, cultivar, degree of
maturity, etc. This study was to review effects of the
PPO(Polyphenol oxidase) activity and total phenolics
contents on browning and quality of dried-persimmon
according to maturity degree of astringent persimmon.