16.4. UV Irradiation
16.4.1. UV Irradiation for the Treatment of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
UV-C as a prestorage treatment of fruits and vegetables can be used to reduce the development of postharvest diseases, reduce decay, and slow down the ripening of the fruits (Costa et al., 2006; Baka et al., 1999). Exposing strawberries to UV-C at a dose of 0.25 kJ/m2 controlled the decay caused by Botrytis cinerea and extended the shelf life of the fruits by 4 and 5 days, at 4 and 13 °C, respectively. UV-treated fruits had a lower respiration rate, higher titratable acidity, higher anthocyanin content (phenolic compounds), and were firmer than untreated fruits. The percentage of free sugars increased faster in UV-C treated fruits at the beginning of storage ...
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