Abstract: In order to get high fresh-keeping botanical materials and develop new botanical preservative,the fresh-keeping activities of the extracts of 39 Chinese herbal medicines,which were extracted with ethanol by ultrasonication,were determined against “Fuji” apples by spraying method under room temperature (RT).The results indicated that extracts virgate wormwood herb,common anemarrhena rhizome and pricklyash peel had higher fresh-keeping activities for apples at 1.0 mg DW/mL.The quality of apples treated by the plant extracts was better than the clear water treatment (CK),and had no significant difference with drug control (1-methylcyclopropene,1-MCP).The treatments significantly reduced the weight-loss rate and the number of rotted tomatoes,slowed down the decrease in the flesh firmness effectively,titratable acidity,flavor,Vc,delayed the increase in total soluble solids,increased the activity of superoxidae dismutase,catalase and peroxidase,restrained the increase of relative electric conductivity.The preservation effects of the three plants were not significant difference with1-MCP and deserved to further research.

Key words: botanical preservative, activity screening