Since interaction between temperatu

Since interaction between temperature and time of storage before cutting was found not significant, the mean effect of temperature on quality attributes of artichokes just after cutting (times 3 and 7) was studied, as reported in Table 1. Temperature had a significant effect on outer bracts and cut surfaces scores, which were higher for artichokes stored at 0 than at 12 ◦C. In addition samples from artichokes stored at 0 ◦C also showed the highest b* values of outer bracts and the lowest a* values for cut bracts and cut receptacle respectively. Time of storage had a significant effect on b* value of cut bracts, and on a* and b* of receptacle cut surfaces (except for L*), generally a* values increased with the time of storage whereas b* decreased. No effect of the storage temperature on phenols was observed on artichoke quarters upon cutting, even though an increase of phenols was observed in artichokes stored at 5 ◦C at 3 days of storage (data not shown).