Mixing fruits in ready-to-eat packaging leads to physiological changes that modify quality attributes and antioxidant composition

Fresh-cut fruits in ready-to-eat packaging are convenient healthy snacks that can be composed of one type of fruit or a mixture of different fruits to attract consumer's attention. However, to date, no studies have been performed to determine whether fruit mixing could impair fruit quality traits or their shelf-life. Here, we aimed at evaluating quality and hormonal changes in unmixed and mixed cut fruits in packaging of kiwis, mangoes, oranges and pineapples over a 6-day period in cold storage to (i) determine endogenous events compromising cut fruit quality and (ii) assess whether fruit mixing could have an impact in their storage. Results showed fruit cutting led to rapid losses in water content and firmness, while respiration rates increased. Fruit mixing altered several quality parameters, delaying firmness loss in mangoes, oranges and pineapples, and increasing ratios of sugars by acids (TSS/TA) over time. Fruit mixing increased vitamin C contents in mangoes and oranges but decreased total phenols accumulation in oranges and pineapples. Kiwis had an opposite pattern of vitamin C accumulation, with unmixed kiwis having the highest ascorbate contents, while no significant differences were found for total phenols. Increased abscisic acid contents were also found in mangoes, oranges and pineapples of unmixed packaging, and kiwis displaying a much lower accumulation compared to the other fruits. Other phytohormones were also affected by fruit composition, suggesting an active involvement in fruit quality regulation. In conclusion, fruit composition in ready-to-eat packaging is an important factor determining the final quality and shelf-life of cut fruits. •Fruit cutting effects on quality properties and antioxidant composition in ready-to-eat packaging were partially improved by fruit mixing.•Mangoes, oranges and pineapples considerably benefit from the fruit mix, retaining higher firmness and improving their ascorbate contents.•Abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, gibberellins and cytokinins were actively involved in the preservation of quality traits and antioxidants in the mix.•Fruit shelf-life and quality traits can be modulated considering the fruit packaging composition and its effects on the hormonal balance.