Abstract

The use of Lactobacillus pentosus, in combination with high oxygen packaging modified atmosphere (O₂MAP) for the preservation of the good quality of strawberries to control fruit decay, was investigated for 4 storage days at 4°C. Fruits without bacterial treatment and high O₂ modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) decreases water loss (82.15%) and fruit decay (66.7%). However, bacterial-treated fruits and high O₂ MAP effects are enhanced giving water loss reduction and a fruit decay preservation at about 33.81 and 14.28%, respectively. The color index, (L × (a/b)), was effectively preserved under the combined bacterial-high MAP with 21.9 for 80% O₂ compared to the control.  L. pentosusfruit adding was significantly beneficial for quality preservation by enhancing the high O₂MAP (80% O₂) moulds and yeasts spoilage to 31.47% (p<0.05). The results suggest that bacterial treatments combined with high oxygen packaging atmosphere can be a shelf-life postharvest technique for the strawberry quality preservation. It prolongs the shelf-life of fresh-cut fruit, thanks to the microbial biocontrol agents against fungal pathogen associated to the oxidative stress atmosphere.

 Key words: Biological-control, strawberry, high oxygen, lactic acid bacteria, modified atmosphere.