*3.4. Total Phenolics, Total Flavonoids, Total Anthocyanins and Total Antioxidant Capacity Determined with DPPH and FRAP Methods*

At harvest, the values of TP, TF and TAN were 9.4 mg GAE g−<sup>1</sup> DW, 3.3 mg CE g−<sup>1</sup> DW and 4.5 mg c-3-rutg−<sup>1</sup> DW (Figure 5a,b; Table 2). In controls, the values of all three variables decreased gradually and significantly up to day 21 and then increased to levels lower than at harvest. Treatments and controls showed a very similar pattern of changes during storage in each determined variable. The two-way analyses showed that treatments had no effect on changes in TP, TF and TAN in all three variables, but storage days were significant for TP and TF and the interaction of treatments with days was significant only for TAN. The lowest values of TP, TF and TAN were observed on day 21 in controls and reached approximately 4.6 mg GAE g−<sup>1</sup> DW, 1.0 mg CE g−<sup>1</sup> DW and 2.0 mg c-3-rut g−<sup>1</sup> DW, respectively. In G25, the TP and TF values decreased on day 14 before the subsequent increases (partial analysis of data on day 14). Increases were observed in TP and TF variables in all treatments and controls on day 28, averaging 7.34 mg GAE g−<sup>1</sup> DW, and 2.79 mg CE g−<sup>1</sup> DW, respectively, compared to day 21, averaging 6.18 mg GAE g−<sup>1</sup> DW, and 2.45 mg CE g−<sup>1</sup> DW, respectively (partial analysis of data on days 21 and 28). The corresponding TAN values were 2.99 mg c-3-rut g−<sup>1</sup> DW and 3.18 mg c-3-rut g−<sup>1</sup> DW on days 21 and 28, respectively (partial analysis of data on days 21 and 28).

**Figure 5.** Effect of edible coatings on changes in total phenolic compounds (**a**), total flavonoids (**b**), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) determined by FRAP assay (**c**) and DPPH assay (**d**) in cherries during storage. Points are means of three replicates of 10 cherries each; bars on the points, ± standard deviations. NS, non significant; \*\* significant at *p* < 0.01; \*\*\* significant at *p* < 0.001. *Pcd*, probability of storage days in controls (one-way ANOVA from day 0); HSDcd, honest significant difference calculated from ANOVA. *Ptr*, probability of edible coating treatment; *Pd*, probability of storage days; *Ptr* × *d*, probability of interaction (two-way ANOVA from day 7); HSD, honest significant difference calculated from ANOVA.


of storage days in controls (one-way ANOVA from day 0); HSDcd, honest significant difference calculated from ANOVA. d *Ptr*, probability of edible coating treatment; *Pd*, probability of storage days;

*Ptr* × *d*, probability of interaction (two-way ANOVA from day 7); HSD, honest significant difference calculated from ANOVA.

The patterns of changes in TAC values, determined with both methods, were similar to each other and close to the patterns observed in TP, TF and TAN. Initial samples showed 66.4 μmol TE g−<sup>1</sup> DW with FRAP and 27.8 μmol TE g−<sup>1</sup> DW with DPPH (Figure 5c,d). The lowest value in the controls was 25.7 μmol TE g−<sup>1</sup> DW and 11 μmol TE g- 1 DW with FRAP and DPPH, respectively, and found on day 21 (*Pcd* < 0.01 for FRAP and DPPH). When all data from day 7 were analyzed, both treatment and storage days were significant for FRAP, but not their interaction (Figure 5c). In FRAP, controls averaged 40.06 μmol TE g−<sup>1</sup> DW during storage, being the lowest average value among treatments. During storage, FRAP averaged 52.39, 49.33, 48.58, and 48.35 μmol TE g−<sup>1</sup> DW in Polys, G25, chitosan and G50, respectively, with all these values being similar, but significantly higher than the respective values in controls. FRAP increased significantly to 48.82 μmol TE g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 28 on average, compared to 39.28 μmol TE g−<sup>1</sup> DW on day 21. Additionally, FRAP decreased up to 14 d in G25 and increased thereafter, as in total antioxidants (TP, TF, TAN) and in contrast to the remaining treatments, which showed decreases up to day 21 and increases afterwards. On day 28, treated fruit exhibited similar FRAP values, but significantly higher than controls. However, DPPH values were not affected by treatment significantly, but only by days and the interaction of treatment with days, while changes followed those of FRAP (Figure 5d).
