Photocatalytic titanium dioxide reduces postharvest decay of nectarine fruit packaged in different materials through modulating central carbon and energy metabolisms

• Published in: Food chemistry 2024-02, Vol.433, p.137357, Article 137357
• Main Authors: Zheng, Yanli, Duan, Lihua, Li, Jiangkuo, Zhang, Peng, Jiang, Yunbin, Yang, Xiangzheng, Li, Xihong, Jia, Xiaoyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adenosine diphosphate; adenosine triphosphate; aspartic acid; carbon; carbon metabolism; Central carbon metabolism; energy; Energy metabolism; food chemistry; fruits; glycolysis; metabolomics; microbial growth; Microperforated LDPE packaging; nectarines; nylon; oxaloacetic acid; pathogens; photocatalysis; polyethylene; Postharvest decay; postharvest diseases; succinic acid; TiO2 photocatalysis; titanium dioxide; tricarboxylic acid cycle; yeasts
• ISSN: 0308-8146
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.137357

•TiO2 reduced microbial loads in nectarines packaged in three different films.•The water status of nectarines packaged with films was measured by LF-NMR.•Combination of TiO2 and microperforated LDPE packaging inhibited microbial growth.•TiO2 up-regulated the central carbon and energy metabolisms of nectarines.•TiO2 maintained higher energy level in nectarines to improve disease resistance. The capacity of titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysis photocatalytic reactor to prevent and control pathogen infection in nectarine fruit packed in laminated nylon/LDPE, low density polyethylene and microperforated LDPE films was evaluated. Results showed that TiO2 combined with microperforated LDPE packaging (TPL) exhibited superior inhibition of microbial growth, reducing total viable counts by 4.18 log CFU g−1 and yeast and mold counts by 3.20 log CFU g−1, compared to microperforated LDPE packaging alone. TiO2 photocatalysis primed the defense systems in nectarine fruit packed in microperforated LDPE, improving the activity of defense-related enzymes. Metabolomics analysis indicated that l-aspartate, oxaloacetate, and succinic acid involved in central carbon metabolism including the glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways, were significantly upregulated by TPL. TiO2 increased the activity of energy metabolism-related enzymes, adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, and energy charge levels to provide adequate energy, thus reducing fruit decay.