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Pomegranate cultivar ("Ardestani") peeled and packed in polyethylene containers and treated with different natural products. Two concentrations of Aloe vera gel (10 and 15%), two different levels of saffron petal extracts (10 and 20% V/V) and two concentrations of saffron style extract (0.1 and 1% V/V) and control in one storage condition (7°C and 85% RH) were the treatments that applied by a full factorial randomized method. We examined natural substances for their possible application in extending the shelf life of fresh-cut horticultural products to find a new approach for packaging and exporting pomegranates. About 13.8% mass loss in the 12th day of storage occurred because of higher enzymatic activity and lower membrane resistance. Our results show that all treatments significantly reduced mass loss, and Aloe vera gel treatments combined with saffron petal extract were the best. Although all treatments decreased ion leakage, Aloe vera gel and saffron petal extract reduced it significantly. Ion leakage incidence of arils at day 12 was lower in Aloe vera gel and saffron petal extract treatment compare to control. Application of both saffron extracts on arils reduced decay incidence and chilling injury from 86.67% to 6.67% and 60% to 26.67%, respectively. Total acidity, soluble solids content, total phenol content, anthocyanin content, and antioxidant capacity of arils changed differently in different treatments, and saffron petal extract significantly was the best one and increased anthocyanin content, total phenol content, and antioxidant capacity in arils.The microbial contamination increased in more extended storage, although both saffron extracts were successfully suppressed mold and bacteria growth below acceptable limits in 14 days at 7°C.

The heavy metals pollution is one of the problems that arise due to the increased uses of fertilizers and other chemicals to meet the higher demands of food production for human consumption. In order to assess possible health risk of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) consumption, levels of Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury and Lead were determined in fresh and dried samples of "Jumbo cot", "Tom cot", "Gold strike", "Gold bar", "Bergeron", "Bergarouge", "Sweet cot", "Yellow cot" and "Zebra" apricot cultivars. Wet digestion of samples with concentrate HNO3 – H2O2 digester mixture and inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectroscopy was used. Highest content of As, Cd, Hg and Pb among all cultivars, were 0.5, 0.04, 1.5 and 0.5mg/kg of dried apricot samples. Fresh fruit samples also contain 0.2, 0.016, 0.6 and 0.2 mg/kg of Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury and Lead respectively. Daily intake of metals, hazard quotient and health risk index to reveal health risk possibility of dried and fresh fruits consumption were calculate and compared.

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