Carotenoids in dehydrated persimmon: Antioxidant activity, structure, and photoluminescence

In this study, the effect of two hot air drying conditions (40 °C for 23 h and 60 9 h) on content, antioxidant activity, microstructure, luminescence properties persimmon carotenoids in three ripening stages was studied. Based results from total content HPLC analysis, carotenoid's increased with advance ripening, highlighting β-cryptoxanthin fraction. addition, treatments did not affect carotenoid profile but decreased activity. Microstructural studies showed that progress and/or treatments, led tissues to lose integrity, allowing diffusion their degradation. Photoluminescence measurements evidenced synthesis during fruit ripening. After drying, a new emitting specie at 340 nm attributed isomerisation while emission 500 experienced shift related formation thermal degradation products. Both facts could explain loss activity submitted treatments. sense, photoluminescence, combination spectrophotometric, chromatographic structural techniques, helps understand phenomena caused by both, persimmon's