An in-depth study on post-harvest storage conditions of Anoectochilus roxburghii products

As a specialty food that is medicinal and edible, Anoectochilus roxburghii contains many active ingredients. Herein, optimal conditions to preserve A. roxburghii samples and obtain high physiological activity have been studied. The contents of polysaccharides , kinsenoside, and flavonoids of A. roxburghii were monitored during post-harvest storage for a period of eight months at 25 °C with different packaging methods such as stacking, multilayer pocket and vacuum. The results indicated that packaging method and storage time have significant influences on the preservation of active compounds. Polysaccharides, kinsenoside and flavonoids exhibited a general descending trend during storage for a period of eight months in all packaging conditions. However, the vacuum method is more effective in preservation of polysaccharides and flavonoids than stacking and multilayer pockets methods due to the lower activity of microbial community under vacuum condition. Interestingly, kinsenoside, a characteristic compound of A. roxburghii , responsive for the hypoglycemic function, was not affected by packaging methods. This is because kinsenoside was mainly affected by plant endogenous enzymes instead of microbial community. Two-factor variance analysis showed that packaging method and storage time have significant interactions in preservation. It was further disclosed that the changes of active components were closely related to the plant endogenous enzymes, microbial community and their functions. The findings in this study will shed some light on the storage of A. roxburghii and other herb products.