Indirect treatment of plasma-processed air to decrease decay and microbiota of strawberry fruit caused by mechanical...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Postharvest Technology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Strawberry fruit's soft texture makes it vulnerable to mechanical damage during postharvest handling, leading to decay and quality loss.
• Effective treatments are crucial to mitigate postharvest mechanical damage and preserve strawberry quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of indirect plasma-processed air (PPA) pretreatment in reducing decay and microbiota in mechanically damaged strawberries.
• To assess the impact of PPA on strawberry quality attributes and metabolite profiles.

Main Methods:

• Strawberries were pretreated with indirect plasma-processed air (PPA).
• Microbial load (indigenous, S. aureus, E. coli, Botrytis cinerea) and decay rates were assessed.
• Fruit quality parameters including firmness, color index (CIRG), and total soluble solids (TSS) were measured.
• Antioxidant activity and metabolite accumulation were analyzed using DHHP and other methods.

Main Results:

• PPA significantly reduced indigenous microbiota by 3.76-4.29 log10CFU/g and inoculated pathogens (S. aureus, E. coli) by 3.05-3.56 log10CFU/g.
• Disease incidence and decay rate were decreased by 6.67%-18.89% and 5.56%-21.11%, respectively.
• PPA did not significantly alter fruit firmness, CIRG, or TSS, but increased antioxidant activity and 37 differentially accumulated metabolites, including flavonoids and phenolic acids.

Conclusions:

• Indirect PPA pretreatment is a promising method to reduce postharvest decay and microbial contamination in strawberries affected by mechanical damage.
• PPA treatment enhances beneficial metabolites and antioxidant capacity without compromising key quality attributes, offering a potential solution for extending strawberry shelf life.