A 2% O2 CA reduced the wound-induced accumulation
of phenolic compounds and o-quinones
in fresh-cut crisphead lettuce (Fig. 1A) and in
green leaf lettuce (Fig. 1B) over that of similar
tissue stored in air. Wounding stimulated phenolic
accumulation 1.8- and 2.0-fold during the 4 and 3
days storage of crisphead and green leaf lettuce,
respectively. The 2% O2 CA reduced the accumulation
of phenolics in both types of lettuce by
about 35%, irrespective of the residual gas (i.e.
Ar, He, or N2). In contrast, the content of oquinones
in fresh-cut crisphead lettuce was higher
in tissue stored in the CA made with Ar than in
that with He or N2. This was not the case in
fresh-cut green leaf lettuce where there were no
detectable differences in o-quinone content of tissue
stored in any of the CAs.