Effects of Gaseous Ozone on Microbiological Quality of Andean Blackberries (Rubus glaucus Benth)

Botrytis fruit rot management: What have we achieved so far?

Botrytis cinerea is a destructive necrotrophic phytopathogen causing overwhelming diseases in more than 1400 plant species, especially fruit crops, resulting in significant economic losses worldwide. The pathogen causes rotting of fruits at both pre-harvest and postharvest stages. Aside from causing gray mold of the mature fruits, the fungus infects leaves, flowers, and seeds, which makes it a notorious phytopathogen. Worldwide, in the majority of fruit crops, B. cinerea causes gray mold. In order to effectively control this pathogen, extensive research has been conducted due to its wide host range and the huge economic losses it causes. It is advantageous to explore detection and diagnosis techniques of B. cinerea to provide the fundamental basis for mitigation strategies. Botrytis cinerea has been identified and quantified in fruit/plant samples at pre- and post-infection levels using various detection techniques including DNA markers, volatile organic compounds, qPCR, chip-digital PCR, and PCR-based nucleic acid sensors. In addition, cultural, physical, chemical, biological, and botanical methods have all been used to combat Botrytis fruit rot. This review discusses research progress made on estimating economic losses, detection and diagnosis, as well as management strategies, including cultural, physical, chemical, and biological studies on B. cinerea along with knowledge gaps and potential areas for future research.

Trends in maintaining postharvest freshness and quality of Rubus berries

Blackberries and raspberries, commonly known as Rubus berries, are commercially grown worldwide across different climates. Rubus berries contain wide array of phytochemicals, vitamins, dietary fibers, minerals, and unsaturated fatty acids. Nevertheless, these berries have short storage life which is the major constraint in their supply chains leading to higher postharvest losses. Inappropriate harvest handling, physical bruising, insect pests, and postharvest diseases lower the acceptability of fruit among consumers and other supply chain stakeholders. Additionally, the susceptibility to microbial decay, fruit softening, higher ethylene production, respiratory activity, and increased oxidation of anthocyanins, phenolics, and flavonoids considerably affects the marketability of Rubus berries at domestic and international markets. To date, several postharvest strategies such as cold storage, precooling, modified and controlled atmospheres, anti-ripening chemicals, edible coatings, biological agents, and nonchemical alternatives (heat treatment, ultrasound, irradiations, ozone) have been reported to prolong storage life, ensure food safety, and maintain the nutritional quality of Rubus berries. This review briefly encompasses multiple aspects including harvest maturity indices, regulation of fruit ripening, pre and postharvest factors affecting fruit quality, and an update on postharvest quality preservation by employing postharvest technologies to extend the storage life and maintaining the bioactive compounds in Rubus berries which are lacking in the literature. Accordingly, this review provides valuable information to the industry stakeholders and scientists offering relevant solutions, limitations in the application of certain technologies at commercial scale, highlighting research gaps, and paving the way forward for future investigations.

Introduction to the Special Issue: Advanced Strategies to Preserve Quality and Extend Shelf Life of Foods

We are pleased to present this Special Issue, which includes 13 papers that highlight the most important research activities in the field of food quality assurance and shelf-life extension [...]

Ozone-Microbubble-Washing with Domestic Equipment: Effects on the Microstructure, and Lipid and Protein Oxidation of Muscle Foods

This study aimed to compare ozone-microbubble-washing (OM) performed by domestic equipment with conventional water-washing (CW) regarding resultant quality attributes of muscle foods. For this purpose, muscle microstructure and lipid and protein oxidation were evaluated in pork and fish samples after OM and CW treatments. The assessment of muscle microstructure showed that OM treatment did not damage the microstructure of muscle fibers in both pork and fish samples. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values were not detected in both treatment groups, and they were substantially below the generally acceptable threshold (1 mg MDA/kg). The methylglyoxal (MGO) level of OM-treated fish samples was significantly higher than that of CW-treated fish samples. However, glyoxal (GO) and MGO levels of OM-treated pork samples were significantly lower than that of CW-treated pork samples. Similar types and sites of oxidative modification and similar numbers of modified peptides, as well as no significant difference in the concentration of total and most of the free amino acids (FAA) between treatment groups, indicated that OM treatment did not accelerate protein oxidation.

Effectiveness of Ozonated Water for Preserving Quality and Extending Storability of Star Ruby Grapefruit

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of aqueous ozone technology on maintaining grapefruit flavor and freshness by minimizing the occurrence of postharvest deterioration. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Star Ruby grapefruit fruits were treated with 0.3 and 0.6 ppm aqueous ozone for 5 and 10 min after harvest at water temperatures of 5 °C and 15 °C, respectively. The fruits were stored for 40 days at 8 ± 1 °C with 85–90% relative humidity. The results revealed that all the ozonated water treatments reduced physiological weight loss, disease infection, and decay, as well as providing long-term protection to the fruits throughout storage. The best treatment for preserving the postharvest quality was 0.6 ppm ozonated water at 5 °C for 5 min, which successfully delayed ripening while concurrently preserving the TSS/acid ratios, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity. Overall, aqueous ozone treatment is a promising example of a treatment that is beginning to be utilized on a commercial scale. In accordance with the findings of this study, it can be deduced that aqueous ozone can be used to maintain fruit quality, reduce postharvest diseases, and extend storage life.