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Protecting celtuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. augustana) slices against storage-induced oxidative stress and discoloration by using diode laser exposure
Author(s)
Date Issued
December 1, 2024
Type
Article
Abstract
Diode laser irradiation is a novel approach applied to preserve the quality of fresh commodities and minimise oxidative processes, including browning in fresh-cut products. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of diode laser treatment in enhancing the quality of celtuce slices during refrigerated storage at 4 °C. The celtuce slices were subjected to a 660 or 450 nm diode laser for 5 min and then stored for 10 d. Both laser treatments hindered the progression of weight loss and firmness increase in the celtuce slices. The use of a 450 nm diode laser effectively prevented the development of browning and preserved the surface colour by inhibiting the increase in a* and overall colour difference values, as compared to other treatments, during storage for 10 d. The diode laser treatment suppressed the increase in oxidative stress by lowering the levels of MDA, H2O2, and O-2 while retaining a high level of DPPH scavenging activity, AsA, and antioxdant enzyme activities, including SOD, CAT, APX, and GR, in comparison to the untreated slices. The treatment enhanced chlorophylls content due to the up-regulation of LsHEMA1 gene and down-regulation of LsNYC1 gene. The treatment also inhibited factors involving enzymatic browning reaction by suppressing PAL activity, total phenols content, PPO activity and LsPPO gene expression. These suggest that the blue diode laser exposure at 450 nm for 5 min is an effective approach hindering oxidative stress and discoloration of celtuce slices during storage.
Citation
Postharvest Biology and Technology, 218, 2024