Flammulina velutipes is susceptible to mechanical damage, water loss, microbial growth, and other factors that lead to postharvest deterioration, thereby shortening the storage period. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of cold plasma treatment on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant capacity of F. velutipes during storage at 4 °C for 21 days. Compared to the control group, cold plasma cold sterilization (CPCS) treatment (150 Hz, 95 kV for 150 s) effectively inhibited the growth and multiplication of microorganisms on the surface of F. velutipes, with no significant effect on the fresh weight change and the superoxide anion generation rate, but with a higher postharvest 1,1-dephenyl-2-picrylhydrzyl (DPPH) clearance rate. Moreover, CPCS increased antioxidant enzyme activities, delayed both malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and vitamin C loss, inhibited the browning reaction and polyphenol oxidases (PPO) activity and protected F. velutipes cell membrane from disruption. In general, CPCS not only achieved bacteriostatic effects on F. velutipes during storage, but also reduced cell damage from free radical oxidation, resulting in better postharvest quality and longer shelf life.
Postharvest Agaricus bisporus is susceptible to browning, water loss, and microbial infection. In order to extend its shelf life, cold plasma technology was used to treat and evaluate A. bisporus. Firstly, according to the results of a single factor test and response surface analysis, the optimal conditions for cold plasma treatment were determined as a voltage of 95 kV, a frequency of 130 Hz, and a processing time of 10 min. Secondly, storage experiments were carried out using the optimized cold plasma treatment. The results showed that the cold plasma treatment in the packaging significantly reduced the total viable count in A. bisporus by approximately 16.5%, maintained a browning degree at 26.9% lower than that of the control group, and a hardness at 25.6% higher than that of the control group. In addition, the cold plasma treatment also helped to preserve the vitamin C and total protein content of A. bisporus. In conclusion, cold plasma treatment showed great potential in enhancing the postharvest quality of fresh A. bisporus.
20 March 2025 in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry