Acidic electrolyzed water treatment suppresses Phomopsis longanae Chi-induced the decreased storability and quality properties of fresh longans through modulating energy metabolism

Longan fruit loses its market value rapidly due to postharvest pathogenic infestation and quality deterioration. Here, we hypothesized that acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) could maintain higher quality of P. longanae-inoculated longans via regulating energy metabolism. Results indicated that AEW reduced fruit disease index and decay incidence. Significantly, AEW treatment retained higher levels of ATP, ADP, and energy charge, and higher activities of Ca2+-ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase, and H+-ATPase in the membranes of plasma, vacuole, and mitochondria, which maintained the structural and functional integrity of cell membrane. Furthermore, indirectly sustaining cell membrane function via AEW treatment could maintain the storability and quality properties of longans, including keeping higher values of color chromaticity (L*, a*, and b*), higher amounts of vitamin C, total soluble solids, sucrose, and total soluble sugars, lower titratable acid and reducing sugar contents. This work elucidated the potential regulation of AEW on the balance of energy metabolism and fruit quality.