Role of Ozone Concentrations and Exposure Times in Extending Shelf Life of Strawberry

Efficiency of three aqueous ozone concentrations (0.075 ppm, 0.15 ppm, 0.25 ppm) and two exposure times (2 and 5 min) were investigated for maintaining strawberry quality. Exposure to 0.075 ppm and 0.15 ppm ozone delayed the changes in pH, total soluble solids, firmness and electrical conductivity. All ozone treatments prevented mold growth during storage. However, the 0.25 ppm ozone treatment caused loss of strawberry quality due to high ozone concentration. The results have shown that; low (0.075 ppm) and middle (0.15 ppm) ozone concentrations can be applied to extend the shelf-life of strawberries by at least 3 weeks under refrigerated conditions.