Impact of different precooling methods on the storage and quality of strawberries (<i>Fragaria vesca</i> L.)

Abstract Post-harvest precooling of strawberries can reduce fruit decay and tissue damage during post-harvest storage. To determine the most suitable precooling method, cold room precooling (CRPC), cold-water precooling (CWPC), electrolyzed water precooling (EWPC), fluidized-ice precooling (FIPC), forced air precooling (FAPC), and vacuum precooling (VPC) were used to precool the strawberries. After per-cooling, strawberries were stored at 4 °C cold storage for 15 d. Compared with CRPC, CWPC, EWPC, FIPC, and VPC, FAPC can rapidly reduce the temperature of strawberries while maintaining clean fruit skin, effectively inhibiting microbial growth and consequently minimizing strawberry spoilage during storage. The FAPC treatments reduced weight loss during storage, maintained color and fruit hardness, inhibited browning, decreased the total viable count, preserved soluble solid and ascorbic acid contents, inhibited the increase in MDA, increased SOD and CAT activities, and delayed POD and PPO activities. Strawberries treated with CRPC and FAPC had a shelf life of 15 d, which was 3 d longer than those treated with CWPC, EWPC, FIPC, and VPC. Therefore, FAPC treatment is the most suitable method for maintaining strawberry quality and extending its post-harvest shelf life.