Authors
1 faculty member
2 Agricultural Engineering Research Department, West Azerbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Urmia, Iran
Abstract
Stone fruits, including peach, nectarine, apricot, plum, and cherry, are of high nutritional and economic value but remain highly perishable, with short shelf life and sensitivity to biotic and abiotic stressors posing critical challenges in the postharvest supply chain. Atmospheric cold plasma (CAP) has recently gained attention as a promising non-thermal technology, offering strong antimicrobial activity at low temperatures while also functioning as an abiotic stressor capable of modulating fruit physiology and metabolism. Current evidence indicates that CAP can influence enzymatic activities (PPO, POD), regulate phenolic metabolism, and alter ripening-related hormonal pathways such as ethylene and ABA. These effects may contribute to delayed softening, enhanced defense responses, and improved nutritional quality. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the molecular and biochemical responses of stone fruits to CAP and critically examines existing challenges, including species-dependent variability, dose-dependence, scalability, regulatory limitations, and insufficient sensory and consumer data. In addition, the potential of integrating CAP with complementary technologies such as edible coatings, active packaging, and modified atmosphere systems is discussed. Overall, this work emphasizes that CAP should be considered not only as a decontamination tool but also as a smart postharvest engineering approach to sustainably extend the shelf life and marketability of stone fruits.
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