The impact of gaseous ozone on pH, °Brix, titratable acidity, and optical and rheological properties of fresh squeezed peach juice was investigated. Peach juice was exposed to ozone (0.06–2.48 g. L⁻¹) in a bubble column at 20 ± 1 °C. Nonsignificant or slight changes in pH, °Brix, and titratable acidity were found during ozonation. Lightness (L*) slightly decreased in the first minute of O₃ exposure and then remained practically constant, while a* parameter slightly increased in all treated samples. L* and a* parameters as well as Browning Index values reflected a slight increase in browning in ozonized juices. All juices, treated and untreated, exhibited non-Newtonian flow characteristics with pseudoplastic behavior. Significant reductions in apparent viscosity and a trend toward Newtonian flow as O₃ treatment time increased were observed for ozonized juices. The Power Law model was suitable to fit rheological data.

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of ozone washing (maximum concentration 3.5 mgL-1- 5 and 15 min) on Botrytis cinerea decay, physicochemical parameters, bioactive compounds, in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity, and sensory properties of strawberries cv. Albion throughout refrigerated storage at 5 ± 1 °C. A 5 min long ozonation delayed the onset of B. cinerea infection by 4 days, and significantly reduced its incidence as storage progressed (~17 % lesser than in control at day 8), without impairing physicochemical parameters or sensory quality. This treatment did not affect the antioxidant activity of strawberry extracts neither in in vitro (ORAC and ABTS assays) or in vivo assays using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism. Higher ozone doses did not achieve greater reduction of B. cinerea decay throughout the storage period. This study demonstrated that exposing strawberries to a 5 min long aqueous ozone treatment could extend their storability at 5 °C.