Effect of blue light treatment on fruit quality, antioxidant enzymes and radical-scavenging activity in strawberry fruit

• Blue LEDs maintain quality and improve nutritional value of strawberries.
• Blue light treatment enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes.
• Blue LEDs enhance ethylene production and accelerate color development of strawberry.

The effect of blue light treatment on quality, antioxidant capacity and enzyme activity of strawberry fruit stored at 5 °C was evaluated. The results showed that blue light illumination increased the color index, respiration rate and ethylene production in strawberries during storage. The treatment also enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase, and maintained lower levels of superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde. In addition, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, total phenolic, ascorbic acid, total sugar content, as well as titratable acidity (TA) were increased by blue light exposure. These data suggested that blue light treatment might maintain quality and improve nutritional value of strawberry fruit due to the enhancement of their antioxidant systems and free radical-scavenging capabilities.