Improving the anaerobic respiration of persimmons (Diospyros kaki L.) caused by modified atmosphere packaging through pulsed electric fields: A sustainable technology for extending shelf-life of packaged-fruits

• Pulsed electric fields improve carbon dioxide-induced anaerobic metabolism. • Pulsed electric fields inhibit glycolysis during storage. • Pulsed electric field improves modified atmosphere packaging. • Pulsed electric fields extends the shelf life of packaged fruits without additives. This study investigated the efficacy of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment in mitigating quality deterioration in sweet persimmons ( Diospyros kaki 'Fuyu' ) induced by modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The findings demonstrate that treating persimmons with a 50 kV m −1 PEF for 30 min significantly counters the softening and browning effects of 10% CO 2 exposure. PEF pretreatment was observed to enhance the enzymatic activities of succinate dehydrogenase by 31.5% and cytochrome C oxidase by 36.8%, thereby boosting energy metabolism and curbing the glycolytic activities of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase by 47.9% and 18.3%, respectively. This inhibition extends to the activity of pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase, which were reduced by 27.8% and 23.1%, respectively, leading to decreased production of ethanol (50.7%) and acetaldehyde (28.57%)—compounds typically formed through oxygen metabolism. Furthermore, PEF pretreatment not only preserves the storage quality of persimmons but also activates the fruit's intrinsic repair mechanisms via pressure stimulation. This mechanism enhances the fruit's resistance to quality degradation caused by environmental CO 2 accumulation during storage. The findings suggest that PEF is a practical, residue-free, and additive-free pretreatment technology for fruit, aligning well with sustainable development objectives and offering a robust method to protect fruits against MAP-induced deterioration.