Effects of Ionized Air Treatments on Postharvest Physiology and Quality of Fresh Cucumber

Methods to maintain postharvest quality and prolong shelf life of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) are sought after, because cucumber fruits are highly perishable and sensitive to both ethylene and chilling temperatures (below 10C). The authors evaluated the efficacy of ionized air treatments to delay senescence in cucumber. Fresh cucumbers were stored under either ozone gas (1.112 mg/L) or anion gas (3 x 10(6) ion/cm(3)) treatments for 28 days at 12C and 95% relative humidity. Quality-related attributes, including water loss, decay rates, respiration intensity, activity of polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase, malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, firmness, crispness and elasticity of cucumbers during storage were determined. Results showed that both the ozone and anion gas treatments effectively inhibited the metabolic activity of cucumbers, resulting in decreased MDA accumulation, better texture indices and reduced decay rate. Cucumbers treated with anion gas (3 x 10(6) ion/cm(3)) maintained fresher appearance over a longer storage period than control and ozone treatments.