Cold Atmospheric Plasma: Pre- and Post-Packaging Application for Fresh-Cut Apple Preservation

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Food Preservation Technologies
• Non-thermal Plasma Applications

Background:

• Minimally processed fruits face preservation challenges.
• Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is a promising preservation technique.
• Optimizing NTP application timing and packaging is crucial for fruit quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of NTP treatment before and after packaging on sliced apples.
• To compare the efficacy of high vs. low oxygen barrier films in conjunction with NTP.
• To assess various quality parameters of apples over 14 days at 4°C.

Main Methods:

• Application of non-thermal plasma (NTP) to sliced apples before and after packaging.
• Packaging apples in films with high and low oxygen barrier properties.
• Evaluation of chromatic, textural, microbial, antioxidant, sugar content, microstructure, and tissue viability parameters over 14 days.

Main Results:

• NTP treatment before packaging reduced crunchiness and browning.
• NTP reduced microbial load (mesophiles, psychrotrophs, yeasts, molds) by 1-2 log units.
• High-barrier packaging better preserved antioxidant content.
• NTP after packaging improved microstructure and tissue viability, with the best results seen with high-barrier film.

Conclusions:

• Combining NTP applied after packaging with high-barrier film is optimal for maintaining apple quality.
• This combination effectively preserves apple color, microstructure, texture, and viability.
• NTP shows potential for extending the shelf life of minimally processed fruits.