Antioxidant content in the fruit peel, flesh and seeds of selected apple cultivars during cold storage.

Four apple cultivars: ‘Sampion’, ‘Jonagold’, ‘Gloster’ and ‘Elise’ kept in common cold storage (1C, 95-97% RH) were tested. The content of glutathione in the apple peel remained nearly at the same level during storage, while its precursors (particularly γ-glutamylcysteine) as well as glutathione reductase activity successively increased. The decrease of ascorbate content and ascorbate peroxidase activity was observed after 60 days of storage and then their levels significantly increased. Apple flesh and seeds exhibited nearly the same tendencies related to compounds mentioned above. The reduction level of both hydrophilic antioxidant in the peel was increasing with the longer time of storage. Activity of catalase significantly decreased during storage, but only in the apple peel. Out of all