Effect of Ozonized Water on Blue Mold Decay in ‘Maxi Gala’ and ‘Fuji Suprema’ Apples
摘要
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ozone applications in mitigating blue mold decay in ‘Maxi Gala’ and ‘Fuji Suprema’ apples during post-storage shelf life. In ‘Maxi Gala’ apples, the treatments involved a control group and ozonized water application at concentrations of 11.9 or 24.9 mg O3 L−1 for 10, 30, and 90 min. For ‘Fuji Suprema’ apples, the treatments included ozonized water with 11.9 mg O3 L−1 for 90 and 120 min and a gaseous application of 33 mg O3 L−1 for 60 min. After 6 months in cold storage, the apples were inoculated with Penicillium sp., and blue mold decay was monitored from day 5 to day 8 post-inoculation and treatment application. Applying 33 mg L−1 ozonized air for 60 min resulted in lenticel damage in ‘Fuji Suprema’ apples. The 90-minute treatment with 11.9 mg L−1 ozonized water reduced blue mold decay in ‘Maxi Gala’ apples, although only on day 7 post-inoculation. For ‘Fuji Suprema’ apples, blue mold occurrence decreased as of day 5 post-inoculation with the 90- and 120-minute treatments using 11.9 mg L−1 ozonized water, although these results were not significantly different from the control for the remainder of the shelf life. Overall, ozonized water treatment demonstrated limited effectiveness in reducing blue mold decay, showing a reduction only during specific evaluation periods. Consequently, further research with varied ozone doses and exposure durations is necessary to achieve more significant reductions in blue mold decay in apples.