Ultrasonic synergistic slightly acidic electrolyzed water processing to improve postharvest storage quality of Chinese bayberry

In the postharvest storage of Chinese bayberry, microbial loads and exogenous contaminants pose significant challenges, leading to rapid decay and deterioration in quality. This study introduced a synergistic approach, combining ultrasonics and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (US + SAEW), to enhance the postharvest storage quality of Chinese bayberry. This approach was benchmarked against conventional water washing (CW), standalone ultrasonic (US), and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) processing. Notably, compared to CW, the US + SAEW method enhanced iprodione and procymidone removal rates by 69.62 % and 72.45 % respectively, improved dirt removal efficiency by 122.87 %, repelled drosophila melanogaster larvae by 58.33 %, and curtailed total bacterial, mold & yeast growth by 78.18 % and 83.09 %. Furthermore, it postponed the appearance of sample decay by 6 days, compared to 4 days for both US and SAEW alone. From a physicochemical perspective, compared to CW-treated samples, US + SAEW processing mitigated weight loss and color deviations, retained hardness, amplified the sugar-acid ratio, augmented activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase enzymes, suppressed polyphenol oxidase activity and malondialdehyde synthesis, and preserved total phenolic, anthocyanin, and antioxidant levels. These findings underscore the potential of US + SAEW as a strategic tool to preserve the quality of Chinese bayberry during postharvest storage.