Low gaseous ozone doses as an elicitor for health-promoting compounds in Andean blackberries (Rubus glaucus Benth)

Andean blackberries are appreciated for their unique flavor, high nutritional quality, and antioxidant properties. In this study, the effectiveness of low doses (0.4; 0.5; 0.6 and 0.7 µL l-1 for 3 min) of gaseous ozone as an elicitor for health-promoting compounds was evaluated during 10 d of storage at 6 ± 1 °C. The physicochemical and sensory quality of the fruit was also determined. Ozone was used in a single application before storage. Initially, regardless of the dose applied, no negative effects of the O3 treatments were observed in any of the parameters studied. In addition, the firmness, the antioxidant activity and the fructose, vitamin C and polyphenols contents were higher in the O3-treated fruit compared to the control. During storage, these differences were maintained except for the 0.7 µL l-1 dose. This indicates that low concentrations of gaseous O3 could promote the synthesis of biocompounds and be effective in maintaining the postharvest quality of blackberries for at least 4 days of refrigerated storage. However, more research is needed to maintain these advantages during longer storage periods.