In this study, we focused on investigating the efficacy of hot water treatment (HWT, 48
°C, 10 min) and exposure to blue LED light as alternative approaches to preserve the
quality of apples during storage. We studied changes in 'Fuji' apples stored for 119 days
and measured quality parameters (dry matter content, weight loss, hardness loss, and
phenolic content) during storage. It is known that the quality of apples deteriorates
during storage due to physiological changes and microbiological diseases, therefore, we
investigated whether hot water treatment (HWT) and blue LED light can effectively
influence fruit quality parameters and P. expansum development. We found that HWT
suppressed ethylene production in the early stages of storage. Importantly, we found no
negative effects on other important quality parameters such as fruit firmness, weight
loss or total soluble solids (TSS) content. Exposure to blue LED light had the most
pronounced effect on the colour characteristics of the fruit - causing darkening of the
peel, increased colour saturation and increased red pigmentation. However, we found
no clear effect of LED light on P. expansum growth, mycotoxin production or phenolic
content. HWT also did not suppress mould growth, suggesting that the effects of these
treatments on pathogens should be interpreted with caution.
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