Effect of space electric field on the shelf-life extension of plum fruit (GuoFeng17)

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of DENBA+ as a non-contact cold chain preservation method on the storage longevity and quality of plums. Experiments were conducted at a cold storage temperature of 0 ± 0.5 °C over 49 days across varying electric field intensities (0, high, and low DENBA+). The findings revealed that the low DENBA+ notably reduced weight loss, maintained firmness, and inhibited enzymatic browning by curbing POD and PPO activities and reducing total phenol content. In comparison to the control, plums under low DENBA+ treatment displayed higher concentrations of total sugars and soluble solids. Additionally, this treatment effectively delayed increases in MDA content and membrane permeability. Contrastingly, the high DENBA + treatment minimally influenced enzymatic activities but rather intensified MDA levels and membrane permeability. The data suggest that the low DENBA+(with an electric field intensity between 500 and 800 V m−1) emerges as a promising preservation approach for plum.