Utilizing of Low Intensity Alternating Electric Field to Maintain Quality and Enhance Shelf Life of Strawberries During Cold Storage

ABSTRACT The deterioration of fruit during circulation presents a challenge to the preservation of fruits. The electric field is a possible method for extending the shelf life of vegetables and fruit by possibly suppressing the activity of microorganisms and inhibiting respiratory metabolism, but it is still controversial. This article investigated the effect of alternating electric fields on low temperature preservation of strawberries. A self‐designed device was proposed to generate an alternating electric field (3457, 1668, and 555 V/m). The electric field distribution of the self‐made device was simulated and evaluated. The results showed that the simulation could illustrate the electric field distribution of the self‐made device well. During refrigeration of strawberries, the self‐made device could delay the decay of strawberries. The weight loss of strawberries treated by alternating electric field was suppressed compared to the control group. Quality indexes of hardness and sugar‐acid ratios were almost not influenced by alternating electric fields. The results showed that low low‐strength alternating electric field (within a magnitude of 555–3457 V/m) had the potential to extend the shelf lives of strawberries in the cold chain.