Postharvest Application of Seaweed-based Biostimulant to Control Cold-induced Sweetening in Potato Tubers: A TOPSIS-shannon Entropy Model Approach

Abstract Potatoes are usually stored at 4–8 °C to suppress sprouting, thus prolonging shelf-life. However, prolonged exposure to cold storage leads to the accumulation of reducing sugars as a physiological reaction to cold stress, leading to a cold-induced sweetening (CIS). Potatoes with high sugars have inferior processing quality. Limited studies have investigated postharvest technologies that can be used to reduce cold stress and, consequently, CIS in potatoes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to control CIS in potato tubers using Ecklonia maxima extract (SWE), which contains hormones that mitigate against abiotic stresses. Potatoes ( cv. Mondial) were dipped in SWE solutions at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0% for 5 min. Analysis of variance was employed for statistical analysis. Furthermore, the TOPSIS-Entropy Model was used to determine the optimal SWE concentration for mitigating the CIS. This study is the first to demonstrate that postharvest dip in Ecklonia maxima extract (SWE) at 3.0% significantly reduces cold-induced sweetening in potato tubers during 60-day storage at 4 °C, as ranked by a TOPSIS-Shannon Entropy Model. Glucose and fructose levels in control tubers increased by 137 and 175.1%, respectively, whereas tubers treated with 3.0% SWE showed markedly lower increases of only 39% (12.67 to 17.57 mg g⁻ 1 FW) for glucose and 22% (11.74 to 14.33 mg g⁻ 1 FW) for fructose. Moreover, the treatment maintained higher starch, dry matter, and amylose contents as well as starch granules. The findings suggested that the use of Ecklonia maxima extract could be a sustainable and eco-friendly postharvest technology for maintaining “Mondial” potato shelf-life and processing quality.