CORONA DISCHARGE REDUCES MOLD ON COMMERCIALLY STORED ONIONS

L.H. Fan, J. Song, P.D. Hildebrand, C.F. Forney
Onions can be stored for six months or longer at recommended storage conditions of 0°C and 65-70% relatively humidity (RH) (Hardenburg, et al., 1986). Under low humidity storage, onions may suffer substantial moisture loss resulting in reduced salable product. However, under high humidity, onions may develop blue mold, black mold or soft rot caused by Penicillium spp, Aspergillus niger, and Erwinia carotovora, respectively. Corona discharge has been reported to reduce the decay and extend the storage life of harvested fresh fruits and vegetables (Tanimura et al., 1997, 1998). In corona discharge (non﷓thermal plasmas), electrical energy is used to create large quantities of highly reactive species, including atomic oxygen, ozone, hydroxyls, and other charged molecules (Lowke et al., 1994). Potential mechanisms by which corona could affect produce quality include the destruction of ethylene and other volatiles, removal of airborne fungal spores, and the production of ozone and other reactive species that could inhibit pathogenic microorganisms. This study explored the effects of corona discharge on controlling decay and maintaining quality of onions stored under high humidity.
Fan, L.H., Song, J., Hildebrand, P.D. and Forney, C.F. (2001). CORONA DISCHARGE REDUCES MOLD ON COMMERCIALLY STORED ONIONS. Acta Hortic. 553, 427-428
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2001.553.98
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2001.553.98
ozone, negative air ions, Allium cepa, onion storage, weight loss, mold
English
553_98
427-428

Acta Horticulturae