L* values of cut bracts (Fig. 6) of samples from artichokes stored at 12 ◦C showed a substantial decrease of about 10% at time 7, while samples from artichokes stored at 0 and 5 ◦C showed a lower reduction (from 2 to 4%). No significant differences were found among treatments after post-cutting storage for L*, although, according to the Dunnett test, artichokes stored at 12 ◦C showed at day 7 + 3 a significantly lower L* value compared to initial samples (at time 0 + 3). Quarters from artichokes stored at 0 ◦C had a* values significantly lower than those from artichokes stored at 12 ◦C both at day 7 and after the following 3 days of storage at 5 ◦C (7 + 3). In addition, while for artichokes pre-stored at 0 ◦C, a* values remained on the negative side up to the end of the experiment, samples pre-stored at 12 ◦C already showed positive values at time 3 + 3.