ABSTRACT Increasing consumer demand for high‐quality, minimally processed fruits has led to challenges in preserving the quality and safety of fresh‐cut produce. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the combined effects of plasma‐activated water (PAW) and ultrasound‐treated water (UTW) on the quality and shelf life of fresh‐cut kiwifruit under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Kiwifruit slices were subjected to combinations of PAW (15 and 25 min) and UTW (5 and 10 min, 50–100 W) and then stored at 4°C for 14 days. The most intensive treatment (PAW‐25 min + UTW‐10 min at 100 W) significantly reduced microbial growth, maintaining psychrophilic counts at 8.4 log CFU/g and yeast and mold at 8.76 log CFU/g on Day 14, compared to 10.3 and 10.9 log CFU/g, respectively, in untreated samples stored under the same modified atmosphere packaging conditions. This treatment also preserved ascorbic acid content at 60.1 mg/100 g, minimized weight loss (15.4%), and delayed structural degradation, as confirmed by microstructural analysis. The most intensive treatment showed lower microbial counts and better retention of ascorbic acid, although some reductions in sensory attributes (odor and sweetness) were observed. Nevertheless, overall acceptability remained above 7.0 throughout the 14‐day storage period, indicating that consumer‐relevant quality was preserved. These findings demonstrate that PAW–UTW treatment is an effective nonthermal method for improving the quality of fresh‐cut kiwifruit.
Rashvand et al. (2026) studied this question.