Application of electrolysed water in the quality and safety control of fruits and vegetables: A review

Abstract

Summary Fruits and vegetables (F&V) provide people with a variety of essential vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fibre, thus constituting integral components of human diet. With the surge of interest in F&V, their consumption ratio has kept increasing in recent years. Unfortunately, microorganisms and pesticide residues on the surfaces of F&V may be hazardous to humans. As an emerging technology, electrolysed water (EW) shows great application potential in reducing these hazards. EW treatment not only effectively removes microorganisms from F&V but also degrades pesticide residues on their surfaces. In addition, EW treatment affects the physiological metabolism of harvested F&V, which is conducive to maintain their sensory quality and nutritional value. This article reviews the principles of EW preparation, advantages and disadvantages, and the application of EW in F&V in the last decade, including disinfection of irrigation water, removal of pesticide residues, disinfection after harvest its effects on physicochemical parameters and enzyme activity of F&V, etc. Moreover, the combination of EW and other technology, including ozone, short‐time heat treatment, ultraviolet irradiation and ultrasound, to further improve the quality control effects of F&V is discussed.

Recent advances in activated water systems for the postharvest management of quality and safety of fresh fruits and vegetables

“…The impact of EW for inactivating microorganisms on FFVs has been extensively reviewed (Lu et al., 2022; Rebezov et al., 2022; Villarreal‐Barajas et al., 2022). Spoilage and contamination of FFVs due to fungi, bacteria, and virus infections can cause severe illnesses in humans.…”

“…Most review articles related to the application of AWS in FFVs have mostly focused on the specific technology with emphasis on their basic principles, microbial inactivation and safety, and biochemical processes in FFVs (Foudas et al, 2023;Lu et al, 2022;Phan et al, 2021;Rebezov et al, 2022;Soni et al, 2021;Shan et al, 2022;Xiang et al, 2022;Zhang, Wang et al, 2023). Similarly, Heng et al (2022) investigated the synergistic application of acidic EW and PAW against bacterial suspension (E. coli) biofilms (Bacillus subtilis).…”

Flexible humidity sensor for smart agricultural applications

“…Environmental effects such as rain, humidity, precipitation, and dew directly affect the health of crops, fruits, and vegetables. The fact that these products take more or less water than they need damage the crops and soil [7,8]. The purpose of greenhouses at this point is to take the necessary precautions against weather conditions, and provide protection by acting as a cover in the production of fruit trees, and other types of vegetables [9].…”