Beyond Surface Sterilization: Shaping the Future of Stone Fruit Preservation with Cold Plasma through Deciphering Its Interactions with Fruit Physiology | ||
| تحقیقات مهندسی صنایع غذایی | ||
| Article 4, Volume 25, Issue 1 - Serial Number 80, April 2026, Pages 65-84 PDF (765.59 K) | ||
| DOI: 10.22092/fooder.2026.370471.1430 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Nadereh Tabrizi* 1; shahin zomorodi2 | ||
| 1faculty member | ||
| 2Agricultural Engineering Research Department, West Azerbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Urmia, Iran | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Stone fruits such as peach, nectarine, apricot, plum, and cherry occupy a prominent position in the agricultural economy due to their high nutritional and economic value, broad consumer acceptance, and important role in food security. However, these commodities face major challenges related to short postharvest shelf life and high perishability throughout the supply chain. In recent years, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has attracted increasing attention as an emerging non-thermal technology. Beyond its well-established capability for low-temperature surface sterilization and pathogen inactivation, CAP can also act as an abiotic stressor that interacts with the physiological and metabolic pathways of fruits. Evidence indicates that CAP may modulate the activity of key enzymes such as polyphenol oxidases and peroxidases, influence the metabolism of phenolic compounds, and alter the regulation of ripening related hormones, including ethylene and abscisic acid. These effects ultimately contribute to delayed tissue softening, enhanced defense responses, and improved nutritional quality. This review focuses on the molecular and biochemical responses of stone fruits to CAP treatment and discusses critical challenges, including species and dose dependent effects, scalability limitations, regulatory uncertainties, and existing knowledge gaps regarding sensory attributes and consumer acceptance. In addition, the potential synergistic integration of CAP with complementary technologies such as edible coatings, active packaging, and controlled atmosphere storage is explored. Finally, future perspectives are presented in which cold atmospheric plasma is considered not merely as an antimicrobial tool, but as an innovative and intelligent postharvest engineering strategy for the sustainable extension of shelf life and marketability of stone fruits. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Stone fruits; cold plasma; Shelf life extension; Postharvest | ||
| References | ||
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