Effects of Low-Voltage Electrostatic Field Combined with Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Postharvest Quality and...

Postharvest senescence and stem hollowing severely compromise the commercial value and edible quality of Chinese flowering cabbage. The synergistic effects of a low-voltage electrostatic field (LVEF) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on mitigating postharvest deterioration in Chinese flowering cabbage was elucidated. The results demonstrated that the combined LVEF+MAP treatment significantly outperformed individual treatments, effectively delaying senescence, reducing weight loss, suppressing stem hollowing, and preserving nutritional components such as Vitamin C and soluble protein. Physiologically, the combined treatment alleviated oxidative stress by inhibiting the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS; O₂^•- and H₂O₂) and reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) content. This protective effect was driven by maintaining the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). Gene expression analyses further revealed that LVEF+MAP upregulated the expression of antioxidant-related genes (BrSOD, BrCAT and BrPOD) and modulated ROS generation-related genes (BrRbohC and BrRbohD), suggesting active regulation of ROS homeostasis at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation networks confirmed a coordinated defense response, with the LVEF+MAP group consistently maintaining the highest comprehensive quality scores during storage. Overall, the LVEF+MAP combination provided a favorable external microenvironment and activated internal defense signaling to maximize postharvest preservation of Chinese flowering cabbage, extending the commercially acceptable shelf life to 12 days under the tested conditions.