2. Materials and methods
2.1. Sample preparation and treatments
Apples (Fuji) were purchased from a local wholesale distributor at commercial maturity. Apples were selected for uniform size and appearance. These fruit were rinsed gently with tap water by hand and dried naturally. The apples were then peeled, cored and cut into 1 cm thick cubes (average weight at 1 ± 0.3 g) with a sharp stainless steel knife. The knife and cutting board were washed with deionized water and rinsed with 1000 μL/L sodium hypochlorite solution prior to use.