Pulsed electric fields and nitric oxide improve mango postharvest quality and shelf life

Rapid ripening and oxidative damage are the main causes of mango quality deterioration during postharvest. Nitric oxide (NO) is known to inhibit ethylene biosynthesis and enhance the antioxidant system, making endogenous NO induction a promising strategy to delay senescence.

This study introduces a novel method for in situ NO generation in mango using pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment and evaluates the internal antioxidant system and preservation effects during 24 days of storage. The results showed that optimal PEF conditions (0.54 kV/cm, 27.8 min, 146 Hz) significantly delayed fruit senescence and maintained postharvest quality.

Mechanistically, PEF treatment induced a sustained 12-hour increase in endogenous NO levels by enhancing nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and nitrate reductase (NR) activities, resulting in an 8.46–36.02% rise in NO content throughout storage. This NO burst activated the fruit’s antioxidant defense system, increasing both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants.

Consequently, PEF-treated fruit showed reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lower lipid peroxidation (MDA content), along with decreased respiration rate and ethylene production. Correlation analyses confirmed that PEF-induced NO generation is strongly associated with improved antioxidant capacity and reduced oxidative damage.

This study provides the first evidence linking PEF treatment to NO-mediated redox homeostasis in mango, suggesting a mechanism by which physical stimulation can influence fruit senescence. Overall, PEF emerges as an effective green technology to extend mango shelf life and potentially that of other tropical fruits, with important theoretical and practical implications for postharvest management.

Source

Yu, B., Yao, R., Xu, D., He, T., Xiao, W., Gao, W., Cheng, J., Han, Z., Zeng, X.-A., & Wang, R. (n.d.).
Endogenous nitric oxide production induced by pulsed electric field modulates postharvest quality of mango. ScienceDirect.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996926008975