Food Reviews International

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Antibrowning Compounds for Minimally Processed

Potatoes: A Review

Gloria Bobo-García, Cristina Arroqui, Gorka Merino & Paloma Vírseda

To cite this article: Gloria Bobo-García, Cristina Arroqui, Gorka Merino & Paloma Vírseda
(2019): Antibrowning Compounds for Minimally Processed Potatoes: A Review, Food Reviews
International, DOI: 10.1080/87559129.2019.1650761

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2019.1650761

Published online: 09 Aug 2019.

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FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL
https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2019.1650761

Antibrowning Compounds for Minimally Processed Potatoes: A

Review
Gloria Bobo-García, Cristina Arroqui , Gorka Merino, and Paloma Vírseda
Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD, Research Group ALITEC,
Department of Agronomy, Biotechnology and Food, Public University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain

ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
This review covers some recent advances in browning prevention in Minimally processed
minimally processed potatoes (MPP). Polyphenol oxidase (EC 1.10.3.1, potatoes (MPP); polyphenol
PPO) is one of the main enzymes involved in browning of potatoes. oxidase (PPO); enzymatic
browning; antibrowning
Antibrowning agents are used in combination with other compounds
compounds; natural extracts
and techniques to reduce browning such as physical treatments with
modified atmospheres and cold temperatures in processing and
storage. Due to increasing concerns involving toxicity from various
traditional food preservatives, this review focuses on studies invol-
ving substances that have different mechanisms to control browning.
These substances include reducing agents, acidulants, chelating
agents, enzyme inhibitors, complexing agents or others, such as
Maillard reaction products and natural extracts.

Introduction
The production and consumption of minimally processed fruit and vegetables have
increased significantly in the past few years due to their convenience and attractive
sensorial and nutritional properties. However, fresh-cut fruit and vegetables are highly
perishable; thus, the marketing period is limited to approximately 7–20 days. The use of
chemical treatments to preserve the quality of MPFV by dipping in solutions containing
antibrowning agents, exposure to active volatile substances or the application of edible
coatings are the main strategies to successful commercial distribution of such products.
The quality and shelf life of minimally processed fruit and vegetables depends on the
physiological, biochemical and microbiological characteristics of the vegetable or fruit raw
material and the effect of the processing and subsequent conservation.[1]
The process of deterioration of MPFV is accelerated fundamentally by alterations of
physical-mechanical (dehydration, shock, etc.), microbiological (molds, yeasts and bac-
teria) and biochemical (enzymatic browning, oxidations, alterations of aroma and flavor,
etc.) changes. The alterations produced increase with greater degree of processing[2,3]
along with higher process and storage temperatures.
Among the causes of alterations of minimally processed potatoes (MPP), enzymatic
browning has the greatest impact on its quality. Visual appeal, a determinant quality index
for consumer acceptance, is one of the main concerns; there can be no visible browning on
the surface of MPP (commonly in slices, cubes or as French fries). Many studies have

CONTACT Cristina Arroqui cristina.arroqui@unavarra.es Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in

Food Chain - ISFOOD, Research Group ALITEC, Department of Agronomy, Biotechnology and Food, Public University of
Navarre, Campus Arrosadia s/n, Pamplona 31006, Spain
© 2019 Taylor & Francis
2 G. BOBO-GARCÍA ET AL.

focused on this issue; enzymatic browning is detrimental to the main attributes respon-
sible for the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. Thus, the commercial quality of
MPP is influenced by this process.[4–7]
The extent to which this phenomenon can happen in MPP depends on many factors.
Some of the factors are not directly related to the enzymatic browning reaction, such as
the climate, cultural techniques (fertilization, time of harvest, method of handling tubers,
storage conditions, etc.),[8] variety[5,9,10] or tuber constitution (size and internal distribu-
tion of browning precursor substances).[11] Thus, fertilization of potatoes with micronu-
trients could increase the shelf life of MPP to 3 days.[12] On the other hand, the selection
of the potato cultivar could also reduce the impact of the enzymatic browning reaction or
the effectiveness of the antibrowning treatments. For example, Agria, Marabel Arinda or
Marable cultivars are the most resistant to browning when they are minimally
processed.[13–15]
However, it is essential to know the basis and causes of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO)
enzymatic reaction to isolate possible aspects that can be controlled during the processing
stage.

Physiological role of polyphenol oxidase: enzymatic browning and its prevention

Melanin production is the main cause of enzymatic browning of fruit and vegetables. The
process of browning begins with the rupture of membranes in plant tissue.[16] Severe
browning may occur in response to mechanical and physical stress, inducing the meta-
bolism of phenylpropanoid, which results in the accumulation of phenolic compounds
(mono or diphenolic acid). With physical stress or a deterioration process (response to
damage or senescence), the compartmentalization of cells begins to fail; as a result, a mix
is formed with phenolic substrates (polyphenols, catechins) and enzymes, such as poly-
phenol oxidase (PPO) and/or phenol peroxidase.[17–21]
The PPO enzyme belongs to the Oxidoreductases, which have been classified as EC.
1.10.3.1 and EC. 1.14.18.1 by the Enzyme Commission (EC), because they act on diphe-
nols with oxygen as an acceptor.[20] Browning consists of the transformation of phenolic
substrates into o-quinones by oxidation. They can catalyze two different types of reactions
(Fig. 1): (1) ortho-hydroxylation of monophenols, producing o-diphenols, and (2)

Figure 1. Schema of polyphenol oxidase reaction of enzymatic browning.

 FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL 3

oxidation of o-diphenols, producing o-quinones. The latter are very reactive molecules of
rapid condensation; they can combine with groups of amino or sulfhydryl protein and
sugars via a nonenzymatic reaction resulting in brown, red and black polymers of high
molecular weight and unknown structures called melanin. How natural phenolic sub-
strates contribute to the enzymatic browning depends on their location and concentration;
the intensity of the color of macromolecular pigments is influenced by the different shaped
quinones. Although both reactions occur in the case of potatoes, the o-diphenolase
reaction predominates.[22]
The formation of o-quinones is reversible in the presence of reducing agents, while the
subsequent polymerization is irreversible.[23] This polymerization occurs through none-
nzymatic reactions known as Maillard reactions.
The products of the oxidation of phenolic compounds have the potential to interact
with food proteins leading to covalent condensation.[24,25] These cross-link reactions may
cause changes in the structural, functional and nutritional characteristics of the proteins
due to interactions of quinones with side chain groups, such as –SH and –NH, of essential
vegetable protein amino acids. Moreover, proteins of food containing tyrosine phenolic
groups or those that are attached to a phenolic acid through a pseudo-peptide link are also
subject to modifications, which is how they can act as substrates for PPO.[26]
Prevention of enzymatic browning occurs mainly through the control of some of the
factors involved in the PPO enzyme reaction. There are several ways to control browning
(Fig. 1): (a) inhibiting the enzyme, (b) eliminating one of the two substrates in the
reaction (oxygen or polyphenols), or (c) reacting with the products of the reaction to
inhibit the formation of the colored pigments from substeps of the nonenzymatic phase.
One way of classifying the possible mechanisms for the inhibition of PPO is as follows:
(a) reduction of the O2 available for the reaction through the use of modified atmospheres
and the application of a vacuum, as well as the direct and surface control of tissue (using
cyclodextrin or edible coatings); (b) inhibition of the enzyme reactions using acidulants,
heat treatment, composite chelating, competitive inhibitors or specific inhibitors; and (c)
actions on the reaction products, such as the reducing agents and chelating agents of
quinones.
The combined methods of preservatives and packaging in modified atmospheres
(MAP), the so-called hurdle technology[27], are currently employed. Normally, MAP
uses reduced levels of O2 (from normal partial pressure of 21 KPa to 2–10 kPa) to
preserve the quality of fruits and vegetables, although it has been observed that high levels
of O2 and CO2 (up to 80 and 20 kPa, respectively) could also increase the potato shelf life,
reducing their respiration and loss of water.[28] MAP could be combined with traditional
treatments with acid and/or sanitizer agents. The reduction of O2 pressure to 10 kPa
combined with high concentrations of citric acid (CA) produced a 10-day shelf life in the
MPP with minimum sensory changes[29], whereas MAP with sterilized water, sodium
bisulphate, or ascorbic acid (AA) + CA can produce a 9 day preservation at 4ºC with no
changes in potato slice appearance.[30] Ozone alone is not able to stop browning and
microbial growth, but combined with sodium acid sulfate[31] or TsunamiTM (peroxyacetic
acid, vacuum packaging)[32] it is able to maintain the characteristics of potatoes during
a minimum of 14 days.
Despite the extensive use of sulfites and their efficacy as a preservative in MPP, they
have various adverse effects in humans related to their ingestion, particularly in sensitive
4 G. BOBO-GARCÍA ET AL.

or vulnerable people. They affect asthmatic individuals and are more harmful to women
and children. Sulfites produce hives, abdominal pain, diarrhea, as well as anaphylactic
shock in asthmatic people.[33] They have even caused the deaths of seven people in USA
and Canada.[33] For this reason, in 1986, the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
partially restricted the use of sulfites as a preservative in fresh fruit and vegetables.[33–37]
However, in the case of potatoes, the use of this agent has not been banned because they
are cooked before consumption and therefore sulfur dioxide (primarily composed of
sulfites) is lost through evaporation. Therefore, to find effective natural compounds to
maintain the MPP quality, recent studies have been conducted on sulfite replacements
alone or in combinations. Among the compounds that could be considered as inhibitors
of the PPO reaction are acidulants, reducing agents, chelating agents, enzyme inhibitors,
complexing agents and others, such as natural extracts or Maillard reaction products.
Evaluation of the effects of these compounds on the activity of PPO for different fruit
and vegetable enzymes is long overdue. In the case of controlling browning in MPP, there
are several studies from the last 30 years (some examples listed in Table 1) that show
promising results related to the effect of different antibrowning agents on MPP.

Acidulants and reducing agents

Organic acids such as citric acid (CA) or ascorbic acid (AA), included in the GRAS
(Generally Recognized As Safe) status are used individually or in combination to control
enzymatic browning. In general, CA has a limited effect on browning because its main
mechanisms of inhibition of PPO are pH reduction in addition to the copper chelating
effect of the active center of an enzyme. For this reason, it is mainly used in combination
with other more effective compounds[7,49,50] and sometimes in modified atmospheres to
achieve adequate results.[34,41,44,51] However, some authors, such as Tsouvaltzis and
Brecht,[48] observed a reduction in potato browning by the addition of only 10–20
g kg−1 CA. Additionally, CA does not affect nutritional quality in terms of antioxidant
content or PPO activity.
One of the most studied and used reducing agents as antibrowning agent is AA, an
organic acid that is also an acidulant. It has been used alone in some foods to reduce PPO
activity.[52] Its action on the system of polyphenols is complex because it is not only
a quinone reducer but also a copper chelating agent. Moreover, it can be oxidized directly
by the enzyme acting as a competitive inhibitor in a mixed mode. Ascorbic acid is
irreversibly oxidized to dehydroascorbic acid during the reduction process. The AA
oxidation ability of the reducing quinone is related to its concentration and since the
applied AA is consumed, its antibrowning effect could be time limited. Thus, AA has been
studied in combination with other preservatives or antioxidants, including some phenols
such as resorcinols (4-hexylresorcinol), which act as competitive inhibitors,[22] along with
green tea extract catechins, which help maintain AA levels longer.[53] Related to this,
several studies show a synergistic effect between AA and 4-hexylresorcinol in pears[54–56],
apples[57–59] and mangoes.[60] In the case of MPP, the combination of AA with different
preservative methods (other antibrowning agents, ultrasonic or MAP technologies) were
necessary to reach reductions of the PPO activity during storage.[40,61]
Other reducing agents studied in fresh-cut potatoes are the thiol-containing com-
pounds. Molnar-Perl and Friedman[7] found derivatives of L-cysteine, such as N-acetyl-
 FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL 5

Table 1. Recent studies related to browning control in minimally processed potatoes using acidulants,
enzyme inhibitors, and reducing, chelating and complexing agents.
Antibrowning treatment Other combined conditions Reference
Potatoes treated with CA, NAC, HR, CC y NAAP Potatoes were stored for 21 days at 5 o 15ºC. [4]
AA y HR. Optimization was performed with potatoes cut in [38]
cubes that were immersed in a ratio of 1:5 at 25ºC.
Immersions of 3–6 h were studied.
Six chemical groups studied: Potatoes were incubated for 3 h at 25ºC. [6]
AA, carboxylic acids, amino acids that contain
sulphur, phenolic acids, coagulant agents and
other compounds.
− 50 g kg−1 erythorbic acid +10 g kg−1 CA Potatoes were immersed for 5 or 2 min and stored at 1 [39]
- 10 g kg−1 diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid or 6ºC for 21 days.
- 10 g kg−1 NAC in a modified atmosphere
packaging at 0.5% O2 and 95.5% N2.
− 12.5 and 25 g kg−1 CA Potato slices cv. Primura were treated for 2 min, stored [29]
- 25 and 50 g kg-1 AA in flexible bags at 5ºC and analysed at 3, 7 and 10 days.
- 0 to 50 g kg−1 (v/w) AA + 0 to 25 g kg−1 (v/w)
AC.
5, 10 or 20 g kg−1 CA, AA or L-cysteine Potatoes were immersed at room temperature for 3 [40]
min. Analysis were performed after application of
treatments (0 h) and 24 h at 20ºC.
- SD+CA Potato slices cv. Monalisa were immersed for 3 min at [41]
18 or 4ºC and stored in jars to analyse respiratory rate
at 4ºC for 5 days.
B-cyclodextrin addition on quality of precooked Slices were blanched (75ºC – 6.30 min) and treated [42]
vacuum packed potatoes. with antibrowning compounds. They were packaged in
vacuum and pasteurized/precooked at 75ºC for 45 min.
The samples were stored at 4ºC for 28 days.
SAS and CA Potatoes strips were immersed for 1 min and stored for [43]
14 days at 3ºC.
AA, CA, SD Sliced potatoes were immersed for 3 min at a rate of [44]
10:1 at 7.5ºC.
Two types of packing were used: Humidified air flow
and controlled atmosphere.
Samples were kept for 16 days at 5ºC.
Described treatments were used at concentration Sliced potatoes cv. Russet Burbank and Norkotah were [45]
of 30 g kg−1: treated for 3 min and stored at 4ºC for 15 days.
-SAS, CA, ES, AM, SAPP and the combination of
SAS+AC+ES.
β-cyclodextrin at different treatment conditions β-cyclodextrin presented a mixed type of inhibition [46]
(concentration, temperature, pH, etc.) and can be explored industrially under optimized
conditions to prevent browning in potato as well as in
fruit juices.
L-cysteine, Citric acid and Ascorbic acid The solution containing 0.6 g kg-1 L-cysteine, 1.9 g kg- [47]
Ultrasound: 100, 120 and 140 W. 1 citric acid, and 0.9 g kg-1 ascorbic acid with 130
W ultrasonication, for 15 days was the best browning-
inhibiting treatment.
Three Anhydrous citric acid solutions: Citric acid at concentrations of 10 or 20 g kg-1 inhibits [48]
Three H2SO4 solutions fresh-cut potato browning. It seems that citric acid
Three Alkaline solutions either bonds with phenolic substrates or the PPO
enzyme to form complexes, or other compounds which
supports the idea of citric acid acting distinct to an
acidulant in enzymatic browning inhibition.
SD, sodium disulphite; CA, citric acid; AA, ascorbic acid; NAC, N-acetyl-L-cysteine; SAPP, sodium acid pyrophosphate; CC,
calcium chloride; HR, 4-hexylresorcinol; NAAP, sodium pyrophosphate; SAS, sodium acid sulfate; ES, sodium erythorbate;
AM, malic acid; IA, isoascorbic acid.

L-cysteine and reduced glutathione, could be potential alternatives to sodium sulfite in

potatoes. A few years later, Gunes and Lee[47] established a treatment of 5 g kg−1 cysteine
and 20 g kg−1 CA to be effective in the inhibition of browning in MPP. Rocculi et al.[39]
6 G. BOBO-GARCÍA ET AL.

studied combinations of 5, 10 and 20 g kg−1 CA, AA, and L-cysteine as antibrowning

agents, as well as three types of atmospheres consisting of 30 g kg−1 O2 + 9 g kg-1 CO2 +
88 g kg-1 N2 in potato strips with storage at 20°C. The application of L-cysteine (5 g kg−1)
and CA (20 g kg−1) was effective in the prevention of enzymatic browning. The effective-
ness improved when the potatoes were peeled by hand or with bleach and the L-cysteine
treatments were combined with the established atmosphere; a shelf life of 3 weeks was
then obtained. They also noted that L-cysteine was more effective than organic acids such
as AA or AC and observed that the application of antibrowning compounds can have
physiological effects on the tissues of potatoes. However, Buta and Moline[4] showed that
N-acetyl-cysteine in a lower concentration (250 mol·m3 -1]) was an effective antibrowning
agent when combined with CA and 4-hexylresorcinol
The reducing agents have been studied with other methods of PPO inhibition. Li
et al.[61] studied the effect of added L-cysteine, CA and AA combined with an ultrasonic
treatment. They optimized the reducing agents and ultrasonic treatment; the optimum
antibrowning condition was 0.6 g kg−1 L-cysteine, 1.9 g kg−1 CA, 0.9 g kg−1 AA with 130
W ultrasonic exposure. With this, they managed to reduce the PPO activity over 64%
during storage.
Cacace et al. (2002)[40] used erythorbic acid with CA, diethylenetriamine pentaacetic
acid or N-acetyl-L-cysteine in potato strips packed in a modified atmosphere for 21 days.
The combination of erythorbic acid + CA extended the shelf life to 14 days at 1°C and to 7
days at 6°C.
There were several studies where calcium chloride (1–2 g kg−1) was used in different
combinations in MPP.[25,30,62] Some authors observed that calcium chloride treatments
inhibited the browning and softening during storage in pears[63], apples[64,65], mangoes[66],
lettuce[67] and potatoes.[29]

Enzyme inhibitors
One of the most interesting enzyme inhibitors is 4-hexylresorcinol, an m-diphenolic
compound that is structurally related to phenolic substrates; it is a competitive inhibitor
of the PPO.[23] This compound is able to inhibit the monophenolase and o-diphenolase
activity of tyrosinase. Moreover, it is chemically stable and effective at low
concentrations.[60] The use of 4-hexylresorcinol alone or in combination with other
compounds has already been studied for apples[55,57,68–71], pears[55,56,72] and artichokes.[73]
In MPP, Mattila et al.[49] used CA, AA, calcium chloride, potassium sorbate, sodium
benzoate and 4-hexylresorcinol alone and in combinations in slices of potatoes stored at 5°
C. They observed greater effectiveness of the combination of 4-hexylresorcinol + CA (0.05
g kg−1 + 5 g kg−1) than 4-hexylresorcinol (0.05 g kg−1) alone. Buta and Moline[4] evaluated
the effect of different combinations of 4-hexylresorcinol, N-acetyl-cysteine and CA.
Samples of Atlantic and Russet Burbank cultivars treated with 250 mol m3 -1 AC + 250
mol·m3 -1 N-acetyl-cysteine + 1 mol m3 -1 4-hexylresorcinol exhibited controlled browning
or a decrease in firmness during 21 days at 5°C. The absence of 4-hexylresorcinol
facilitated the browning of the samples. The limiting factor in storage was the visible
microbiological decay. They also found a negative effect on potato firmness when calcium
chloride was added due to an osmotic effect. Handling of potatoes before storage also
influenced browning and efficacy of antibrowning compounds.
 FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL 7

Reyes Moreno et al.[38] applied the combination of different concentrations of 4-hex-

ylresorcinol (10–200 g m−3) and AA (1000–4000 g m−3). The optimization technique gave
the best combination of process variables for each of the three pre-treatments (1) 2900
g m−3 AA/4.8 h, (2) 40 g m−3 4-hexylresorcinol/2.6 h and (3) 2420 g m−3 AA-150 g m−13
4-hexylresorcinol/5.41 h.

Chelating agents and complexing agents

Binders such as phosphates, polysaccharides, kojic acid, or EDTA have been combined
with other agents to prevent browning in potatoes. In MPP treated and stored at 4°C for
13 days, Sapers and Miller[62] found greater efficacy of AA-based formulations when the
AA was partly replaced with AA-2-phosphate or AA-2-triphosphate and adjusted to pH 2.
This formulation and reduction of pH inhibited the acid phosphatase of potato, reducing
browning effects.
Buta and Moline[4] evaluated the effect of N-acetyl-cysteine, 4-hexylresorcinol, CA,
calcium chloride, isoascorbic acid and sodium pyrophosphate, in different combinations
in potatoes stored for 21 days at 5 and 15°C. They did not find differences in inhibition of
browning or retention of firmness of slices of the two cultivars after treatment with the
combination of 0.25 M citric acid, 0.25 M N-acetylcysteine and 0.01 M 4-hexylresorcinol.
More recently, Mosneaguta et al.[45] examined the effects of sodium acid sulfate at 3%
and CA, sodium erythorbate, malic acid, sodium acid pyrophosphate, and the combina-
tion of sodium acid sulfate +CA+ sodium erythorbate, at 0.04 g/ml of inhibiting solution,
on slices of two different potato cultivars. Slices were submerged for 3 min. They studied
the capacity of PPO inhibition of these compounds at distinct pH levels. They found the
combination SAS+CA+ sodium erythorbate and sodium erythorbate alone were the most
effective at inhibiting brownin. Sodium erythorbate was effective as an antibrowning agent
at any pH between 2 and 7, whereas better results were achieved with sodium acid sulfate
+CA+ sodium erythorbate at pH between 5 and 7. After the treatments, the potatoes were
stored at 4°C for 15 days. Sodium erythorbate and sodium acid sulfate +CA+ sodium
erythorbate were the most effective at inhibiting browning, although sodium erythorbate
did not inhibit microbial growth well (molds and yeasts). With these compounds, the
browning did not appear in 15 days.
The use of complexing agents, such as β-cyclodextrin alone or in combination with CA
and AA, could prevent enzymatic browning in precooked potatoes[42]. However, the
studies show proliferation of mesophilic bacteria; thus, further studies are needed to
understand the potential application of those treatments.
A more recent study confirmed the efficacy of β-cyclodextrin as an inhibitor of PPO in
potato when the treatment conditions (concentration, temperature, pH, etc.) were
optimized.[46] A synergistic effect in the inhibition of PPO activity was found between β-
cyclodextrin and temperature. When temperature of the treatment solution was increased
from 30 to 40ºC, the PPO inhibition was also increased. The β-cyclodextrin PPO inhibi-
tion is a mixed type of inhibition. The inhibitor binds to both enzyme and enzyme–
substrate complex, with a higher affinity for enzyme. The β-cyclodextrin inhibitor could be
further explored industrially under optimized conditions to prevent the browning in
potato as well as in fruit juices.
8 G. BOBO-GARCÍA ET AL.

Most of the above mentioned antibrowning compounds (acidulants and reducing

agents, enzyme inhibitors, chelating and complexing agents) can be grouped into two
large blocks. On one hand, there are those that could be of natural origin (citric acid
(E330), ascorbic acid (E 300), some phosphates (E339-E343), while on the other hand,
there are the synthetic ones (4-hexylresorcinol (E586), cysteine (E920), phosphoric acid
(E338), beta cyclodextrin (E 459), cyanidin (E 163a)), malic acid (E 296). All of them are
regulated in the list of food additives (EC 1333/2008 with corresponding updates) but
their use has some restrictions in the case of unprocessed foods, such as MPP. With the
exception of citric acid, ascorbic acid and malic acid, none of them, up to now, have been
approved for MPP. Therefore, in order to be used they need to be regulated after
demonstrating their efficiency and innocuity.

Natural extracts and others

Several natural extracts and various families of compounds whose origins are natural
products are potential effective antibrowning agents (Table 2). Some amino acids, peptides
and proteins, as well as some carboxylic acids and even Maillard reaction products are
considered as potential inhibitors of PPO activity. However, the antibrowning effect of
these compounds or extracts depends on the dosage applied, along with the origin of the
PPO, its concentration and reactivity level. In some cases, extracts or natural compounds
that are rich in phenols, the PPO substrates, can act as activators for other fruit or
vegetable PPOs.[78] For this reason, it is necessary to study the extracts in the objective
food, so that no unwanted effects appear.
Thus, current studies exploring the use of natural extracts and juices from distinct
plants as potential antibrowning agents generally analyze their ability to inhibit the
reaction of PPO (in vitro) and or their ability to control the browning development on
a specific fruit or vegetable (in vivo). The effectiveness of a natural extract in vitro may
vary after its application in a real food matrix (in vivo) due to factors such as storage
temperature and the physiological evolution of the product.

Table 2. Natural extracts and other compounds studied as antibrowning agents in potatoes.
Antibrowning extracts Raw material Reference
Green tea, garlic extract Potato [74]
Citrus sp., (lemon) Beta vulgaris (red beet) and Capsicum sp. (chilli Potato, banana, mushroom and [75]
pepper) apple
Onion Potato [76]
Pineapple Shell extract Potato, banana, mushroom and [77]
apple
Natural extracts from different plants Potato and mushroom [78]
Rice bran Potato, banana and apple (sliced) [79]
Potato (puree) [80]
Potato, apple and banana (puree) [81]
Potato and banana [82]
Potato (puree) [83]
Potato and apple puree [84]
Protein, peptides and amino acids Potato [85]
Products of the Maillard reaction, Potato [86]
Potato [87]
Potato and apple [88]
 FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL 9

There are numerous studies focusing on the application of extracts as antibrowning

agents to fruits and vegetables. The extract of green tea was studied with respect to
lettuce[89], apples, peaches and potatoes. Green tea extract (3 ·104 g·m3 -1) inhibited up
to 420 g kg−1 of apple PPO activity and was effective when applied (1.5 ·104g·m−3 for 5
min) to minimally processed apples.[90] Posidonia oceanica and green tea extracts have
been recognized as effective antibrowning agents.[91] Green tea or garlic extracts were
effective at controlling browning in MPP stored for 14 days at 4ºC.[74] Garlic extract was
also evaluated in other vegetables such as lettuce[65] and tomatoes.[92] Green tea is a great
antibrowning agent for apple juice; with a concentration of 3 g of tea per liter of apple
juice, it prevents juice browning up to 86%. In addition, it reduced PPO activity by 96%
compared to juice without the treatment.[93]
Mercimek et al.[75] found that potato PPO inhibition activity by extracts of Capsicum
sp. (chili pepper), Citrus sp (lemon) and Beta vulgaris (red beet) was 70, 54 and 60%,
respectively. The chili pepper extract showed the maximum anti-browning effect among
the three extracts studied; The high inhibiting capacity of chili pepper could be due to
their high ascorbic acid content (around 144 mg/100 g of chili pepper). The extracts of red
beet are rich in antioxidants compounds, mainly phenols as betalains, small amounts of
hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids, and lemon extract have high ascorbic and citric
acid content. The authors conclude that the chili pepper extract could be a novel alter-
native to synthetic PPO inhibitors in the food industry, health care and medicinal
applications for skin disorders.
An extract obtained from pineapple rind was studied as an antibrowning agent in
potatoes, bananas, apples and mushrooms. Pineapple extract was effective in potato and
banana puree. In sliced form, the treatment controlled the enzymatic browning only in
bananas.[77]
Noteworthy are the studies that used heated onion extracts as antibrowning agents in
potatoes[76] and pears.[94] In potatoes, Lee et al.[76] established heated onion extracts
(100ºC −10 min) to have an inhibitory effect on the PPO, thus preventing the develop-
ment of enzymatic browning. They also observed improved inhibitory capacity of potato
PPO when onion extracts were combined with glycine-glucose extract. It is necessary to
study which are the compounds of the heated onion and their mechanisms of PPO
inhibition.
Many plant extracts have been studied in relation to their PPO inhibition potential and
their antibrowning capacity. Kuijpers et al.[78] compared the effects of 60 plant extracts on
the activity of mushroom and potato PPO. Mate extract (Ilex paraguariensis) behaved as
an inhibitor of mushroom PPO, yet accelerated the activity of potato PPO. Afterward, they
did a detailed study to establish which compounds were involved in these behaviors. They
found phenolic compounds such as quinones from chlorogenic acid in the mate extract
could have been responsible for the acceleration of potato PPO. Quinones are secondary
compounds in potato browning. The potato PPO polymerize the quinones, resulting in
brown pigments. Rizzo et al.[95] studied the extract of rosemary essential oil in combina-
tion with sous vide packaging method on the physical, mechanical, chemical, microbiolo-
gical and sensorial characteristics of sliced potatoes. Packaging with essential oil positively
affected sensory and microbiological traits, maintaining sensorial characteristics of potato
slices up to 11 days of refrigerated storage. Essential oil addition preserved texture,
ascorbic acid and total polyphenol content.
10 G. BOBO-GARCÍA ET AL.

Some phenolic acids, mainly hydroxycinnamic acids, such as benzoic acid along with
substitutes of cinnamic acids, can act as inhibitors of PPO.[20,96] In potatoes, the phenols
such as cinnamic acid, p-coumaric, ferulic, or benzoic acid act as competitive inhibitors of
the PPO enzyme.[97] They observed how these compounds act as substrates of the PPO;
they oxidize in the presence of the PPO enzyme and avoid browning when the PPO does
not react with the phenols, thus confirming their potential as PPO inhibitors.
Proteins, peptides and amino acids may inhibit enzymatic browning by reducing o-quinones
or act as copper-chelators of the active center of PPO. Proteins, hydrolyzed proteins and amino
acids in milk[96], peptides from honey[97], bran wheat protein[98], and peptides from onions[99]
have all been studied as inhibitors of the PPO enzyme. Other compounds considered as potential
browning inhibitors are glycyl-dipeptides[100] and p-alkybenzoic acids.[87] Ali et al.[85] found that
the amino acids, glycine, valine, methionine and phenylalanine showed conflicting effects as
inhibitors and/or stimulators of fresh-cut potato browning. High concentrations induced potato
browning by continuous condensation of quinone and glycine to give colored adducts, while
lower concentrations reduced the browning process. Alternatively, increasing cysteine concen-
tration consistently reduced the browning process due to its reaction with quinone, which
produced a colorless adduct.
Wang et al.[98] found that rice bran is a potential source of bioactive peptides possessing
an antioxidant characteristic (high DPPH, free radical scavenging activity) and an angio-
tensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) with inhibitory activity.
Rice bran contains compounds, such as phenolic acids (ferulic, sinapic, syringic,
p-coumaric acids and vanilla), and other bioactive phytochemicals, such as oryzanols,
tocopherols, tocotrienols, phytosterols and phospholipids, which can act as antioxidants
and inhibitors of the enzymatic browning of fruits and vegetables. Theerakulkait and
Boonsiripiphat[79] found that the rice bran extract PPO inhibitory effect depended on the
fruit or vegetable PPO. They showed it to be significantly more effective in sliced potato
than in bananas or apples, both in vitro and in vivo. Besides, Boonsiripiphat and
Theerakulkait[80] found that the inhibition of polyphenol oxidase activity and browning
in potato depended on the extraction conditions and pH.
Meanwhile, Sukhonthara and Theerakulkait[81] also showed that the browning inhibitory
effect of rice bran was more effective in the fresh potato puree than in apples, whereas it had no
efficacy in banana puree. Later, they established the inhibition to be dependent on the
concentration of the extract with a mixed inhibitor behavior that seemed to directly act on
the enzyme rather than on the substrate.[82] Kubglomsong and Theerakulkait[83] determined
the effect of rice bran protein extract on enzymatic browning inhibition of potato puree by
color measurement and PPO inhibition. The inhibitory effect depended on pH and tempera-
ture. Browning values were lower than obtained using AA and CA up to 20 mM and 10 mM,
respectively. In recent research, Sukhonthara et al.[84] compared the abilities of full-fat rice
bran extract and commercially defatted rice bran extracts to inhibit enzymatic browning in
potatoes and apple puree. For both products, the full-fat rice bran extract showed more
effective inhibition of PPO activity as compared to defatted extract. They also found that
ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid, from rice bran extract and defatted rice bran extracts,
respectively, to be the active compounds in the inhibition of browning in potatoes and apples.
Other compounds that have been highlighted as potential inhibitors are the products
of the Maillard reaction.[101] Lee and Park[86] found that Maillard reaction products
from a mix of glycine-glucose inhibited PPO from potatoes in a noncompetitive but
 FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL 11

additive way. The higher the concentration of both compounds, the higher the inhibit-
ing capacity. They also observed that if the synthesis was performed with glycine and
monosaccharides instead of disaccharides, the Maillard reaction products were more
effective with respect to potato PPO. More recently, Atrooz[88] indicated the inhibitory
effect to depend on the type of Maillard reaction products and the PPO source. Among
the Maillard reaction products studied, the most effective as a potato antibrowning
agent was the model systems of sugar with amino acids of lysine and glutamic acid.
Maillard reaction products were also shown to display antioxidant activity (free radical
scavenging activity, DPPH), but its potato browning inhibition was not directly related
to its antioxidant activity.
The essential oils of plant extracts have also been studied as an effective antibrowning
method for fresh-cut potatoes. Treatments with 0.5 mg ml−1 onion essential oil reduced
browning by 38.5%, the PPO activity by 39%, and the microbial load by 1.27 log CFU g−.1
In addition, the panelists liked the scent and flavor of the fresh potato products up to 10
days of storage.[103] Also, rosemary essential oil improved the sensorial characteristics of
sous vide potato slices up to 11 days of refrigerated storage.[95]
Concerning the industrial application of natural extracts, in the case of edible plant
extracts, their use as ingredients is authorized. The rosemary extract (E 392) has been
included in the list of food additives but not its application in MPP. Use of extracts in
foods could be limited by their intense aromas; however, their great volatility and the
mandatory thermal treatment before consumption make these extracts potential candi-
dates in the preservation of MPP.

Conclusions and considerations for future research

The use of natural GRAS compounds offers interesting possibilities for extending shelf life
and quality of fresh-cut potatoes. Characterization of compounds obtained from plant
extracts and other natural sources, such as essential oils, reducing agents and organic
acids, among others, is required to advance potential applications of these compounds in
fresh-cut produce. Also, the use of edible coatings has gained importance in recent years
since they may allow incorporation of natural additives in low amounts, which increases
their effectiveness and therefore greater consumer acceptance.
A wide spectrum of alternative sulfite compounds offers interesting possibilities as
potential antibrowning agents in MPP. These compounds could be classified based on
their antibrowning mechanism: PPO enzyme inhibitory compounds (i.e., 4-hexylresorci-
nol), reducing agents (i.e., AA), N-acetyl-cysteine, erythorbic acid, or chelating agents (i.e.,
phosphates, polysaccharides or EDTA). However, due to their limited inhibitory capa-
cities, combinations of various compounds of common organic acids such as CA and AA
have only been used to maintain the MPP color for up to 2 weeks at typical refrigeration
temperatures.
Natural extracts such as herbs, spices and/or teas, rice bran or pineapple rind extracts
that are a source of antioxidants and other bioactive compounds have shown potential at
preventing browning in MPP; thus, they are interesting prospects in the array of anti-
browning agents. More studies regarding their effects on microbial growth, nutritional
composition, physical-chemical parameters and sensorial quality are needed. On the other
hand, aspects that affect their industrial implementation must also be taken into account;
12 G. BOBO-GARCÍA ET AL.

for example, costs, registration requirements, the variability in their absolute composition,
and especially their fundamental characteristics, which mainly depend on several pre-
harvest factors (cultivar, climate, cultivation practices, etc.).
The recent advances in the use of natural compounds as antibrowning agents in MPP,
and the fact that some of them are ingredients that are commonly used in the kitchen,
allow the authors to be optimistic about the discovery of compounds to be included in the
list of additives for use in MPP. Rosemary extract is one notable example; it is currently in
use in other applications.

Acknowledgments
Gloria Bobo-García is grateful to be the recipient of an Educational Department PhD fellowship
from the Government of Navarre (Spain). This material is based upon research financed by the
Public University of Navarre (Spain).

Funding
This work was supported by the Government of Navarre [Educational Department PhD fellowship];
Universidad Pública de Navarra [PhD fellowship].

ORCID
Cristina Arroqui http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0905-9549

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