Optimization of Cold Plasma Treatment for Pesticidal Decontamination and Quality Retention of Grapes

ABSTRACT Efficacy of cold plasma (CP) for phytosanitation of grapes (cv. Sonaka ) was investigated for removal of pesticides and quality retention during storage. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the CP treatment, and it was found that voltage was the dominant parameter for pesticide degradation, effectively reducing chlorpyrifos and carbendazim residues. Kinetic modeling revealed that increasing the voltage and treatment time significantly ( p < 0.05) reduced pesticide residues. CP treatment was found to maintain the quality of the fruit, and no significant ( p > 0.05) changes were found in color, pH, TSS, TA, firmness of the grapes after CP treatment. Furthermore, the CP treatment significantly ( p < 0.05) increased total phenolic (13.5%) and flavonoid (8.9%) contents. CP treatment inhibited PPO (35.7%) and POD (45.1%) activity, validating the potential to prevent spoilage by controlling browning enzymes. CP further provided better microbial safety, achieving a 2.5–3.0 log reduction in total aerobic and yeast and mold counts. The results showed the potential of CP technology for decontamination and quality retention of grapes.