Cold Plasma Pretreatment Enhances Antioxidant Stability in Lime Fruit During Storage

Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) is a nutrient-rich citrus fruit with high antioxidant potential but a limited shelf life due to physiological and microbial deterioration. This study explores the efficacy of cold plasma (CP) pretreatment, including dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and gliding arc (GLIDE) plasma, in enhancing the antioxidant properties and storage stability of lime fruit. The results demonstrate that CP treatment significantly influences key bioactive compounds, including vitamin C, total phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins, particularly in the peel. DBD plasma at 10 min exhibited the most pronounced enhancement of antioxidant compounds. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses revealed surface chemical modifications and structural changes induced by CP, affecting enzymatic activity and bioactive compound release. Antioxidant activity exhibited a biphasic trend, with initial declines followed by a recovery phase, particularly in CP-treated samples. These findings suggest that CP treatment, particularly DBD plasma, enhances the antioxidant profile of lime while extending its postharvest stability. The study highlights CP as a promising, nonchemical alternative for improving the nutritional properties of citrus fruits. Further optimization of plasma parameters could enhance commercial applications.