ABSTRACT
Strawberries have long been recognized as an important item in the human diet, providing health benefits against a wide range of diseases, mainly due to their high content of certain bioactive compounds including ascorbates, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, carotenoids etc. (Gine-Bordonaba and Terry, 2011a; Manganaris et al., 2013). As most of the bioactive compounds within the plants’ system are secondary metabolites, their synthesis can be triggered in response to biotic and abiotic stresses, such as ultraviolet (UV) radiations, drought, wounding and infections (Terry and Joyce, 2004; Terry et al., 2007; Jahangir et al., 2009). The biochemistry of strawberry fruits is influenced by preharvest treatments and cultivation practices (Terry et al., 2007a; Keutgen and Pawelzik, 2008; Crespo et al., 2010; Gine-Bordonaba and Terry, 2010), which ultimately form the basis of overall quality parameters including sensory attributes, such as taste and health-related biochemical compounds.
