Impact of Post-Harvest Apple Scab on Peel Microbiota, Fermentation Dynamics, and the Volatile/Non-Volatile Composition of Cider
Apple scab is a disease caused by <i>Venturia inaequalis</i>; it alters the vegetative cycle of apple trees and affects the fruits in orchards or during post-harvest storage. Utilizing rotten apples in cidermaking is a promising technique to mitigate crop losses; nonetheless, uncertainti...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/11/2322 |
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| Summary: | Apple scab is a disease caused by <i>Venturia inaequalis</i>; it alters the vegetative cycle of apple trees and affects the fruits in orchards or during post-harvest storage. Utilizing rotten apples in cidermaking is a promising technique to mitigate crop losses; nonetheless, uncertainties persist regarding the beneficial effects of damaged fruits. This study involves a thorough chemical analysis of cider produced from both healthy and scab-infected fruits to identify compositional changes caused by microbial proliferation and to assess their impact on cider quality. Apples infected by post-harvest apple scab, as opposed to uninfected apples, were employed in cidermaking. The peel microbiota was described by plate count, and next-generation sequencing-based metabarcoding methods were used to describe the peel microbiota, while HPLC and GC MS-MS were used to characterize the cider compositions. Apples infected with post-harvest scab host a specific fungal consortium with higher biodiversity, as evidenced by the Shannon evenness index, especially in the fungi kingdom. The presence of apple scab slows fermentation by up to 23%, lowers ethanol accumulation by up to 0.4%, and affects certain cider constituents: sugars, alcohols, amino acids, fatty acids, and esters. The statistical treatment of data relative to the chemical profile (PLS and PCA on the 31 compounds with VIP > 1) distinguishes ciders made from altered or safe fruits. Scab-infected apples can be valorized in the agri-food industry; however, microbiota alterations must not be underestimated. It is necessary to implement adequate mitigation strategies. |
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| ISSN: | 1420-3049 |