Effects of exogenous ascorbic acid and ferulic acid on the yellowing of fresh-cut Chinese water chestnut

•Cut-surface yellowing affects the quality of fresh-cut Chinese water chestnut (CWC).•We showed that ferulic acid (FA) can be a yellowing inhibitor for fresh-cut CWC.•Ascorbic acid does not reduce CWC yellowing.•FA delays yellowing by modulating the expression of phenylpropanoid pathway genes.