Effect of Aqueous Ozone Concentrations on the Postharvest Quality of ‘Albion’ Strawberries

Strawberry is a highly perishable fruit whose rapid quality deterioration during storage limits its shelf life and marketability. In this context, ozone has emerged as a promising alternative for postharvest preservation due to its potential to reduce deterioration processes and induce defense mechanisms in fruits. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of aqueous ozone on the postharvest quality of ‘Albion’ strawberries. Freshly harvested fruits were treated with aqueous ozone at concentrations of 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 mg L−1. The treated fruits were then stored in a cold room at 4.0 ± 1.0 °C, and quality attributes, color, antioxidant enzyme activities (peroxidase and superoxide dismutase), and gray mold incidence were assessed immediately after treatment and every two days until the sixth day of storage. Responses to aqueous ozone depended on concentration, storage time, and the attribute evaluated. Some ozone treatments resulted in lower interval weight loss during the later storage periods, while concentrations between 3.0 and 4.5 mg L−1 were associated with greater firmness and lower gray mold incidence at the end of storage. The highest concentration produced more pronounced responses in SOD activity and total soluble solids at specific evaluation times, whereas POD activity varied according to both concentration and storage time. Because the responses differed among attributes, no single concentration was consistently superior across all evaluated variables. Overall, under the tested conditions, aqueous ozone showed potential for modulating selected postharvest attributes of strawberries during six days of refrigerated storage, although further studies are required to define suitable treatment conditions.