Kinetic modeling of temperature-dependent physicochemical changes in green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) spears of differing calibers during postharvest storage

Abstract

This research employs a kinetic modeling method to analyze postharvest quality alterations in green asparagus spears categorized into two size groups: small spear green asparagus (SSG) and large spear green asparagus (LSG) during temperature-regulated storage. Spears were maintained at temperatures of 4, 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C. Key quality attributes such as weight loss, fiber accumulation, lignin content, hue angle, ascorbic acid concentration, and sugar content were investigated. A model incorporating first-order kinetics and Arrhenius-type temperature dependence was utilized to assess quality changes, with parameters evaluated independently for SSG and LSG. Results indicated that SSG demonstrated greater moisture loss, accelerated ascorbic acid degradation, and more rapid lignification compared to LSG, while sugar depletion was more significant in LSG. The hue angle decreased more significantly at elevated temperatures; however, SSG maintained its green coloration for an extended period. Validation conducted under simulated fluctuating temperatures demonstrated the models’ robustness, with mean relative errors between 8.82 % and 15.13 %. This research emphasizes the influence of size on temperature responses and illustrates the utility of kinetic modeling in predicting dynamic quality alterations. This study presents a targeted framework for optimizing storage conditions and enhances cold chain management strategies to maintain asparagus quality during distribution.