*3.5. Anthocyanins*

The major anthocyanin, cyanidin-3-*O*-rutinoside (c-3-rut), was 2.27 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW at harvest (Table 2). In the controls, it decreased gradually but significantly during storage, reaching the levels of approximately 1.13 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 21, and remained almost stable thereafter. The two-way analysis from day 7 showed the significant effect of treatment and days, but not their interaction, with controls exhibiting the lowest values. Values of G25-treated fruit decreased from 7 d up to 14 d, reaching 1.15 mg c-3-rut g−<sup>1</sup> DW, and then increased to 1.76 mg c-3-rut g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 21 and to 2.82 mg c-3-rut g−<sup>1</sup> DW at the end of storage. C-3-rut in chitosan-treated fruit showed decreases after day 7, while it increased afterwards up to 1.86 mg c-3-rut g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 28. Partial analysis (data on 21 and 28 d) showed that cherries coated with G25, G50 and Polys averaged 2.95 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW, being 1.3-fold higher than the initial value, in contrast to the chitosan-coated and control fruits, being 0.82- and 0.66-fold lower, respectively.

Cyanidin-3-*O*-glucoside (c-3-glc) was found at 0.06 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW at harvest (Table 2), being at the highest level of the whole experiment, whereas the lowest level during storage was 0.01 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 14 in the controls. In all treatments, c-3-glc decreased in the middle of storage, being lower in controls, G25 and chitosan than Polys and G50 on day 14, and then increased, averaging 0.2 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW in controls and chitosan and 0.5 mg g- 1 DW in the remaining treatments on day 28. The effect of days was significant in controls. The two-way analysis showed that the effect of treatment and days were significant, but not their interaction.

Peonodin-3-*O*-glucoside (p-3-glc) was 0.2 mg g- 1 DW at harvest (Table 2). In the controls, it decreased significantly to 0.02 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 21 and showed an insignificant increase on day 28. When all data were analyzed, the treatment effect and storage days were also both significant, but not their interaction. During storage, c-3-glc averaged 0.06 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW in controls compared to the significantly higher values of the remaining treatments, averaging 0.13 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW, being approximately two-fold higher than the controls. On day 28, c-3-glc in all treatments also showed an increase, averaging 0.17 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW in comparison to the respective value of 0.07 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 21. On day 28, the values in the controls were significantly lower than those in G25, G50 and Polys, which reached the levels at harvest, whereas those in chitosan were intermediate and close to those at harvest.

Malvidin-3-*O*-gluoside (m-3-glc) was 0.037 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW at harvest and remained almost stable in controls during storage. In the two-way analysis, the treatment effect and storage days were significant, but not their interaction. Values fluctuated from 0.02 to 0.072 mgg−<sup>1</sup> DW, with the average values in the controls and G25 being 0.029 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW compared to 0.052 g- 1 DW in the other treatments. On day 28, in treated cherries, m-3-glc averaged 0.05 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW compared to 0.03 on day 21 mg g−<sup>1</sup> DW, with controls and G25 being significantly lower than the remaining treatments on day 21.
