*3.6. Phenolic Acids and Flavan-3-ols*

Chlorogenic acid was 0.02 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW initially and ranged from 0.01 to 0.05 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW, with the highest value in the controls observed on day 7 and the lowest on day 21 (Table 2), and the effect of storage days was significant. In the two-way analysis, the effect of storage days was significant, the effect of treatment was non-significant and that of the interaction was significant. In particular, chlorogenic acid averaged 0.19, 0.15, 0.14 and 0.17 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW on days 7, 14, 21 and 28, respectively, during storage.

Neochlorogenic acid, from 1.9 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW at harvest, decreased progressively during storage up to day 14 in G25, while up to day 21 in the remaining treatments (Table 2). The lowest value of neochlorogenic acid was observed in the controls on day 21, being 0.18 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW, but increased significantly thereafter (*Pcd* < 0.001). From the two-way analysis, the effect of storage days was significant, with the treatment effect and the interaction being non-significant. The averaged treatment values were 1.43, 1.02, 0.82 and 1.24 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW, on days 7, 14, 21 and 28, respectively.

In controls, catechin was 1.77 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW, decreased gradually during storage, reaching 0.61 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 21 (Table 2), which was the lowest value in the whole experiment, and increased to 0.88 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 28. Catechin in Polys- and G50-treated cherries exhibited significant changes during storage, but not consistent, averaging 2.37 and 2.69 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW, respectively, resulting in 1.85 and 2.15 mg catechin g- 1 DW, respectively, on day 28. In chitosan and G25, it decreased progressively during storage, reaching 1.2 and 1.41 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW at the end of storage. The effects of treatment, storage days and their interaction were all significant.

Epicatechin values were 0.22 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW at harvest (Table 2).The controls decreased until day 21 and increased at the end of storage significantly but slightly. When all data were analyzed, the treatments showed similar values which decreased up to day 21 and increased thereafter. The effect of treatment was not significant, but those of storage days and their interaction were significant. In all treated cherries, values averaged 0.20, 0.12, 0.09 and 0.21 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW on days 7, 14, 21 and 28, respectively.

Partial analysis of 21 and 28 d data (two-way ANOVA) showed the significant effect of treatment on chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, catechin and epicatechin, with the control values being the lowest in all cases, and all treatments equally effective in increasing the acids, whereas G50 was the most effective in increasing catechin.
