Work

UPLC-MS/MS-based analysis of the effect of bagging on polyphenols in apple varieties and metabolomic characterization before and after bag removal

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: With the increasing cost of bagging cultivation, non-bagging cultivation has become an important direction for green and sustainable development. In this study, the most representative ‘Fuji’ and ‘Ralls’ apple varieties were used as test materials to investigate bagging's effect on apple polyphenols and post-removal metabolic mechanisms using UPLC-MS/MS and metabolomics. For the first time, the feasibility of non-bagging apple cultivation was explored from the perspective of nutritional quality regulation and polyphenol antioxidant properties. Results showed that the total phenol contents of ‘Fuji’ and ‘Ralls’ varieties significantly decreased under bagging treatment at maturity. After bagging, ‘Fuji’ had higher flavanols, flavonols and anthocyanins but lower dihydrochalcones and phenolic acids; ‘Ralls’ showed higher dihydrochalcones and anthocyanins but lower phenolic acids. Comprehensive evaluation indicates that bagging treatment significantly reduces the antioxidant activity of apple fruit. Metabolomics identified 31 and 19 differential metabolites in ‘Fuji’ and ‘Ralls’, with shared enriched pathways including flavonoid biosynthesis. In summary, these findings provide new insights into non-bagging apple cultivation and offer a theoretical basis for regulating the nutritional quality of apple fruit. • Bagging treatment induced a significant reduction in the total phenol content of apple fruits at the maturity stage, revealing a pronounced regulatory effect on overall phenol accumulation. • The modulation of polyphenol components by bagging treatments exhibited distinct varietal specificity, highlighting divergent metabolic responses across different apple varieties. • Notably, the overall antioxidant activity of mature apple fruits was significantly reduced under bagging treatment. • Key differential metabolites and major enriched metabolic pathways before and after bag removal were systematically identified, providing novel insights into the underlying metabolic regulatory networks.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.103513