Blood orange ( Citrus sinensis) cv. Tarocco, grown in the north of Iran, was harvested at the mature stage and stored at 8, 15 or 22°C for various duration. During the storage period, weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TA), pH, ascorbic acid, total phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, anthocyanin and L-phenylalanin ammonia-lyase enzyme (PAL) activity were determined. The highest increase in pH, anthocyanins in the pulp and rind, flavonoids and PAL activity after 85 days of storage at 8°C were 3.6, 12.4 mg/L, 15. 8 mg/L, 142.6 mg/L and 2.5 MOL/g FW.min -1, respectively, and TSS, TA, fruit weight and ascorbic acid content decreased for fruit stored at different temperatures. Antioxidant capacity and total phenols increased during the first 45 days of storage at 8°C by 38% and 631.6 mg/L respectively. Also the results indicated a significant correlation between antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds ( P?0.01).
