Effective microbial control, enhancing antioxidant activity and pesticide removal in fresh cut apples with plasma activated water

Plasma activated water (PAW) is becoming quite attractive for cleaning surfaces, blanching and decontaminating fruits, which can offer several benefits including microbial decontamination, extended shelf life, and maintenance of nutritional quality. This study aimed to examine the effect of PAW on enzymatic activity, microbial content, pesticide reduction, and antioxidant capacity of fresh cut apples. Different PAW activation time such as 5, 10, and 15 min were used for PAW generation. The freshly cut apple slices were then immersed with different PAW for 10 min and kept at room temperature. The samples treated with PAW for 15 min exhibited the lowest peroxidase activity in comparison to control. PAW treatments decreased polyphenol oxidase activity right after treatment, with the lowest activity seen in PAW of 15 min. Only on the initial day of storage PAW treatment had an impact on the radical scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS) of fresh-cut apples (P < 0.05). After 8 days of storage, no significant differences were found in radical scavenging activity (P < 0.05). The results from microbial reduction tests revealed that PAW treatment effectively delayed bacterial and mold growth without compromising the quality of fresh-cut apples. PAW treatments not only reduced pesticide residues and surface browning but also preserved the apples' antioxidant activity. Notably, the PAW of 15 treatment led to significant reductions in pesticide content and overall aerobic bacteria, attributed to the presence of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), which plays a crucial role in the antibacterial properties of PAW. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.