Processing
Low-cost ozone treatment extends postharvest quality of red chilli peppers
A simple ozone treatment improves the preservation of red chilli peppers stored under tropical ambient conditions by reducing microbial growth and maintaining weight firmness and vitamin C for up to ten days
Ozone emerges as an affordable option for small-scale growers
Postharvest losses of red chilli peppers remain a major challenge in tropical regions where refrigeration is often unavailable or too expensive. Researchers have evaluated a simple low-cost ozone treatment as a practical method for preserving fruit quality under ambient storage conditions.
The study compared untreated peppers with ozone exposures of 5, 10 and 15 minutes over a ten-day storage period.
Improved weight retention and firmness
Ozone treatment significantly improved all measured quality parameters. Longer exposures generally resulted in better weight retention and higher firmness, helping maintain the commercial value of the peppers.
The treatment also reduced moisture loss and slowed the deterioration normally associated with tropical ambient storage.
Lower microbial growth and better vitamin C preservation
Ozonation substantially reduced microbial load on the fruit surface, contributing to slower spoilage and longer shelf life.
Researchers also found that treated peppers retained more vitamin C than untreated fruit, preserving part of their nutritional value during storage.
Ten minutes identified as the optimal duration
Although 15 minutes provided the highest overall performance, the 10-minute treatment achieved very similar results across most variables.
This suggests that an optimal exposure time was reached, making the 10-minute treatment more attractive for low-cost and small-scale applications.
Practical potential for tropical supply chains
The authors conclude that simple ozonation could become an effective postharvest technology for chilli producers operating without conventional refrigeration, helping reduce losses and improve profitability in tropical production systems.
Source
Sari, I. M., Sari, K. N., Prawanto, A., & Ansiska, P. (2026). Effectiveness of Low-Cost Ozone Treatment in Preserving the Postharvest Quality of Chilli Pepper under Tropical Ambient Storage. Journal of Tropical AgriFood Processing.
