Influence of Pre- and Postharvest Factors on β-Carotene Content, Its in Vitro Bioaccessibility, and Antioxidant Capacity in Melons

Fresh and stored melons were analyzed for total and bioaccessible beta-carotene content, as well as total antioxidant potentials, to investigate the effects of genotype, season, sowing time, and storage on nutritional quality. There were significant cultivar effects on beta-carotene content (P0.001), ranging from 1 to 23 mg kg(-1) of fresh weight (FW), its bioaccessibility (P0.005), ranging from 79 to 94.5%, and for antioxidant potential (P0.001), ranging from 1569 to 2267 micromol of Fe(2+) kg(-1) of FW of melons. Sowing time significantly affected beta-carotene contents (P0.017) and antioxidant potentials (P0.001), but these were highly cultivar dependent, with season having no effect. Postharvest storage over 4 weeks at 7 degrees C resulted in losses of antioxidant potential and beta-carotene content independent of cultivar. Cultivar and postharvest management were major determinants of nutritional quality of the melons evaluated.