Work

Effect of thermosonication on quality and shelf-life of sweet cherry following cold storage

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Sweet cherries are highly susceptible to quality deterioration during postharvest storage, resulting in significant economic losses. In this study, thermosonication (TS), an integrated preservation technique combining ultrasound (40 kHz, 480 W) with moderate heat, was used to enhance the storability of sweet cherries. The treatment at 40 °C for 15 min was identified as the most effective protocol. After 12 days of storage at 4 °C and 90% relative humidity, this treatment reduced the decay rate by 7.99% and weight loss by 0.34% compared to the control, while maintaining firmness at 1.14 times that of the control. TS significantly modulated enzymatic activities by reducing peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities by 35.41% and 33.32%, respectively, while increasing catalase activity by 33.69% relative to the control group. Cellular analysis confirmed the treatment induced only minimal damage to membrane integrity and cellular structure. Non-targeted metabolomics revealed that TS significantly (VIP > 1, P < 0.05) up-regulated 286 metabolites, including key flavonoids and isoflavonoids such as sakuranetin and diosmetin-7-O-β-D-glucoside. RT-qPCR confirmed the up-regulation of key structural genes ( PaPAL , Pa4CL , PaCHS , and PaCAD ) in the phenylpropanoid-flavonoid pathway. These changes enriched flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, elucidating the molecular mechanism of TS in enhancing antioxidant capacity. The results confirm TS as a scalable and eco-friendly technology for reducing postharvest losses of sweet cherries.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.103834