Effects of ozone treatment on postharvest carrot quality

Ozone (O3) is a powerful oxidant and is used in water treatment, pest disinfection and the removal of pesticides, mycotoxins and other contaminants from fruits and vegetables. However, the treatment conditions should be specifically determined for all types of products for the effective and safe use of ozone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ozone applied as gas (0-5 mg L−1) and dissolved in water (0-10 mg L−1) on the quality of carrots. The exposure of carrots to ozone as gas and dissolved in water did not alter the weight loss percentage, firmness and the color of the vegetable. The O3 treatments as gas also did not affect the pH of the carrots. However, in treatments with O3 dissolved in water, the ozone concentrations and its interaction with temperature temporarily affected the pH of carrots. Moreover, O3 as gas prevented the sharp increase in soluble solids during storage for five days (18 ± 2 °C, 80 ± 5% RH), thereby increasing the shelf-life of carrots.