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Article

The Plasma Ozonizer System for Mangosteen Storage Container to Preserve the Quality of Mangosteen

by
Pitchasak Chankuson
1,* and
Paramee Chumsri
2
1
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80280, Thailand
2
Department of Culinary Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80280, Thailand
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4873; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084873
Submission received: 7 March 2023 / Revised: 5 April 2023 / Accepted: 11 April 2023 / Published: 13 April 2023
(This article belongs to the Section Applied Physics General)
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Abstract

:
This research aims to produce ozone using a dielectric barrier discharge to extend the shelf life and preserve the quality of mangosteen. The optimum condition of this system was a minimum breakdown voltage of about 6 kVp-p, a resonance frequency of 224 kHz, and an oxygen flow rate of 2 L/min. The findings demonstrate that the maximal ethylene concentration value of treated fruit with ozone from oxygen flow rates 2 L/min lower than untreated fruit was approximately 11-fold. The L*, a*, b*, weight loss percentage, pericarp firmness value, and sensory evaluation were used to assess the quality of mangosteen. Compared to control fruit at 15 °C, fruit treated with ozone can have a prolonged shelf life of 9 days. Furthermore, assessing the quality and sensory score indicates that ozonation preserves the sensory quality of mangosteen. The weight loss percentage and pericarp firmness of fruit-treated ozone compared with the control were decreased by 3.34% and increased by 11.18 N, respectively. The sensory score of the fruit treated with ozone was higher than the control fruit, significantly different (p < 0.05).

1. Introduction

The plasma ozonizer system is an apparatus that can generate ozone. The system comprises an ozonizer or ozone tube, an electrical power source, and an oxygen tank. Ozone generation is plasma chemistry resulting from the interaction of many fundamental reactions simultaneously during discharging. There are generally four methods of ozone production: corona discharge, dielectric barrier discharges (DBD), UV radiation, and electrolysis. The key mechanism for ozone generation in all methods is to generate enough energy to break the bonds of oxygen gas molecules to oxygen atoms. These oxygen atoms lead to the formation of ozone gas. The most efficient method to produce ozone is the DBD method because the DBD method can produce ozone with higher intensity and is a process that can occur at atmospheric pressure [1].
Ozone (O3), a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms, is a powerful oxidizing agent. It has intense oxidizing properties 1.5 times greater than chlorine, and there are various applications for gaseous and dissolved ozone or ozonated water in disinfection [2], food processing [3], agriculture [4,5,6], and medicine [7] applications. In addition, because ozone is highly unstable and decomposes rapidly, it can decompose into oxygen when the temperature rises, so there is no harmful chemical residue.
Garcinia mangostana L., also known as mangosteen, is a well-known fruit from Thailand. Its edible aril is white, juicy, sweet, and slightly acidic with a pleasing flavor, and its attractive appearance has made it recognized as the “Queen of Fruit”. Mangosteen is a climacteric fruit that ripens as a result of hormones such as ethylene [8]. Additionally, the fruit’s pericarp includes bioactive substances with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities that have been utilized to treat a variety of ailments, such as xanthones and anthocyanins [8,9]. The ripe fruit is harvested when its pericarp is dark reddish purple and mostly inedible. Mangosteen has seven stages of maturity that are noted by changes in the color of its peel [10]. The color of the peel varies as the mangosteen reaches each of its seven stages of maturity. Throughout the procedure, the unripe green fruit gradually darkens. Typically, the pericarp is still green when the fruit is at its mature green stage. Red marks appear on the pericarp surface once it begins to ripen, but the pulp is still hard and attached to the pericarp. The fruit was picked when it reached stage one, the minimal stage for harvesting and exporting (pale greenish-yellow with 5–50% scattered pink dots) [11]. Fruit that is picked at this stage of development will naturally ripen. The color changes in the peel are influenced by ethylene production [12]. However, fresh mangosteen fruit is difficult to market because they are sensitive to chilling damage and are perishable. Therefore, some chemicals may be used to solve such issues.
Ethylene weakens the stress resistance of fruits and vegetables and speeds up the ripening and aging processes. Therefore, it is deleterious to the preservation of fruits and vegetables after harvest. In accordance with their metabolic properties, fruits, and vegetables can be classified as either respiratory (e.g., peaches, bananas, apples, avocados, and mangosteen) or non-respiratory climacteric (e.g., cherries, grapes, strawberries, and blueberries) types. Non-climacteric fruits will not significantly change ethylene production or respiration rate. Yet ethylene will also hasten the maturation and aging of the organism. While fruits and vegetables have climacteric respiration, there are two stages to go through: growth and maturation. During the growth phase, fruits and vegetables have a low respiration rate and produce little ethylene, and a few 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthases (ACS) are generated to produce ethylene. After that, the respiration rate and ethylene production might be several times higher when the plant enters a mature period. More ACS are created during this time in order to synthesize ethylene, and the fruit will mature quickly as evidenced by the change in appearance [13].
Recent studies have looked into different methods to lengthen the shelf life of mangosteen. Piriyavanit et al. [14] used the 1 μL L−1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) for 6 h at 15 °C. Fruit treated with 1-MCP had a shelf life increase from 18 days to 27 days. They explained that 1-MCP reduces the ethylene production and pericarp levels of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and the pericarp activities of ACC synthase (ACS) and ACC oxidase (ACO). According to the research completed by Laddawan et al. [12], 1-MCP can effectively delay the ripening of mangosteen fruit. Herawati et al. [15] investigate how GA3 hormone therapy affects the shelf life of mangosteen as well as the impact of coating materials (chitosan and wax) and an ethylene absorber (zeolite-KMnO4). The quality of the color on mangosteen fruit during storage was impacted by the application of the hormone, coating matrix, and zeolite-KMnO4. The coating process and the use of packaging affected the mangosteen respiration pattern, which reduced fruit weight loss during storage compared to controls. When considering the issue of transporting large quantities of fruit, it is certain that a huge amount of chemicals is also required. Using large amounts of chemicals may cause residues that harm consumers and create trust in consumption. The food, fruit, and vegetable industries are interested in ozone because the molecule quickly decomposes into O2 without leaving any residues on the produce [16]. As a result, ozonation is a method that ensures the safety and quality of food.
Recent studies have looked into the sanitizing ability of ozone for processing fresh-cut produce to keep the nutritional and sensory quality parameters and achieve microbial control to stop or slow down food spoilage. Both gaseous and liquid forms of ozone can be used for treatments. Panou et al. [17] studied case strawberries that were heat treated and gaseous ozone concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 ppm for 40 min. The study showed that titratable acidity and weight loss percentage were significantly impacted by ozone and heat treatment, whereas color parameters L*, a*, b*, and pH were significantly impacted by ozone concentration of 1.5 ppm plus heat treatment. The conclusion was that strawberries treated with ozone at a concentration of 0.5 ppm and 0.5 ppm in combination with heat treatment recorded a higher score in sensory analysis and a marginally longer storage time. Ali et al. [18] compare the physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activity of exposed continuously to ozone fumigation (0, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 5 ppm)-treated for 96 h of freshly harvested papaya fruit and untreated fruit. The results indicated that the fruit exposed to 2.5 ppm ozone had higher total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, b-carotene, lycopene, antioxidant activity, reduced weight loss, superior sweetness, and overall acceptability at day 10 compared to the control. Minas et al. [19] treated kiwifruits with 1-MCP and exposed fruits to ethylene-free cold storage at 0 °C with the ambient atmosphere (control) or atmosphere enriched with ozone 0.3 μL L−1 for 6 months. They found that treatment with either 1-MCP or O3 inhibited endogenous ethylene biosynthesis and delayed fruit ripening at 20 °C, and 1-MCP and O3 in combination severely inhibited kiwifruit ripening, significantly extending fruit storage potential.
In the case of liquid forms, Chauhan et al. [20], the combination of ozone water treatment (200 mg O3 h−1) for 10 min followed by cold storage at 6 °C under a controlled atmosphere (2%O2, 5%CO2, and 93%N2) resulted in the greatest decrease in the respiration and ethylene rates of carrot stick samples stored for 30 days. Freshly cut broccoli (Brassica oleraceae L.) that had been exposed to aqueous ozone (2.5 mg h−1) for 5, 10, and 15 min was examined by Renumarn et al. [21]. The ozone concentrations of 0.56, 1.00, and 1.50 ppm were the most efficient. In comparison to the control treated with pure water, the results demonstrated reductions in total coliform bacteria, molds, and yeasts of 1.20, 2.50, and 1.80 log10 CFUg1, respectively. By the reduction in microbial populations and ethylene oxidation, treatment with ozone appears to improve the shelf life of fresh, uncut commodities, according to a number of research studies [22,23,24,25,26]. There have not been any previous reports on how ozone affects the quality and shelf life of mangosteen.
The objective of this work was to study the use plasma ozonizer system for a storage room prototype to determine the effectiveness of ozone in extending the shelf life and preserving the quality of mangosteen. The studies were conducted to investigate the resonance frequency, oxygen gas flow rate, and discharge time, which are the system’s optimum conditions. The appropriate conditions were then used in tests to look at how ozone affected the concentration of ethylene. The final step in determining mangosteen quality involved evaluating L*, a*, b*, weight loss percentage, pericarp firmness value, and sensory evaluation.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Plant Material

Mangosteen fruit was obtained from a commercial orchard in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand, and transported at 15 °C to the laboratory. According to the scales outlined by Palapol et al. [12], the fruit was hand-harvested at stage 1 (light greenish yellow with 5–50% scattered pink spots) between July and August 2022, with a mean weight of 75–90 g.

2.2. Plasma Ozonizer System for Storage Room Prototype

The plasma ozonizer system consists of an ozonizer, a high voltage high-frequency power supply, and an oxygen tank. The ozone tube is shown in Figure 1. A stainless-steel pipe acts as the outer electrode, a stainless-steel rod provides as the inner electrode, and Pyrex glass works as the dielectric between the electrodes. The high voltage high-frequency power supply by Plasma and Electromagnetic Wave Laboratory (PEwave), Walailak University, Thailand. High voltage pulse radio frequency power generator 1–100 kV, 100–500 kHz, 10–100 W. The ozone concentration in this research was measured using the HT-E-O3 ozone meter (Sino Hitech Testing Instrument Limited, Shenzhen, China). Determine this plasma ozonizer system’s optimal condition.
Identify the system’s resonance frequency. Study the effect of oxygen flow rate on ozone concentration by the fixed frequency at the resonance frequency and set the voltage drop on the tube to a minimum breakdown voltage of the system. The flow rate of oxygen gas was 1 L/min. Measure the ozone concentration after discharge time was 30 min, and then the flow rate of oxygen gas was changed to 2, 3, and 4 L/min, respectively.
Investigate how the discharge time affects ozone concentration using a fixed frequency at the resonance frequency while setting the voltage drop on the tube to the system’s minimum breakdown voltage and the optimum oxygen gas flow rate. Measure the concentration of ozone every 1 min until 30 min.

2.3. Treatment with Ozone and Storage

As shown in Figure 2, the ozone fumigation system consists of the dielectric barrier discharge ozone generator from the purified oxygen gas and refrigerator model CHL 1 (POL-EKO sp.k., Wodzislaw Slaski, Poland) that can control the temperature from 0 to 15 ± 0.5 °C.
The fixed frequency at the resonance frequency, the minimum breakdown voltage, and the optimal oxygen gas flow rate for ozone treatment fruit. Mangosteen was stored in the storage room and fumed to ozone treatment continuously for 30 min every day. After treatment, the treated and control fruit were put into a storage room and kept at a temperature of 15 °C. The ethylene gas sensor model Sensorex SX-912 (Sensorex Oy, Naantali, Finland) is installed inside the cabinet and displays the results through the display.

2.4. Assessment of the Quality and Sensory Evaluation

The following were the methods and tools used to determine the quality parameters:
The color was measured using the 3nh Digital Colorimeter model NH310 (Shenzhen 3nh Technology, Shenzhen, China) with a port size of 8 mm, the color display set to D65 illuminant. Ten fruits were tested for each condition, and the L*, a*, and b* values were calculated using an average of five fruits. Daily measurements of the colorimetric analysis were taken, and the results of all treatments were compared. When the fruit’s color turned uniformly dark purple, the storage life ended.
For weight loss, samples were weighed using 2 digit- digital balance model FX-3000i (AND, Tokyo, Japan). Weight loss was calculated by the following equation:
Weight   loss   ( % ) = ( W i n i t i a l − W f i n a l W i n i t i a l ) × 100 %
Using the fruit hardness tester model FHT-15 (BESTONE, Shenzhen, China), the firmness of mangosteen was evaluated. Three symmetrical portions of each fruit were obtained from each of the ten experimental samples that were chosen at random for measurement.
The sensory evaluation of mangosteen was assessed by a trained panel of 10 researchers using an acceptability scale of 1–5, where 5 = excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = poor, and 1 = very poor. Fruit pericarp color, flavor, and overall acceptance were the characteristics used to evaluate the sensory evaluation.

2.5. Statistics

Ten trained panelists analyzed the sensory characteristics after the end of the storage day for each treatment. The evaluation rated the fruit pericarp color, flavor, and overall acceptance on a scale of 1–5, where 5 = excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = poor, and 1 = very poor. Using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 17.0 for windows, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) for statistical analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine the data. Duncan’s Multiple Range Tests (DMRT) at a significance level of 0.05. Among the various treatments, a p-value less than 0.05 was considered a significant difference.

3. Results

3.1. Characteristics of the Ozone Production System

The ozone tube is shown in Figure 1. The ozone tube acts as a capacitor in the resonance circuit when connecting with the RF power supply. The high-voltage, high-frequency power supply produced a controllable frequency and sinusoidal alternating voltage output. The minimum breakdown voltage was about 6 kV from peak to peak. While applying with the load, the operating frequency is between 10 kHz to 1 MHz. The resonance frequency of the ozone tube in this work was 224 kHz. The external electrodes are stainless steel pipes. The inner electrode is a rod of stainless steel. There is borosilicate glass as a dielectric between the electrodes. The ozone tube will turn oxygen molecules into ozone gas, where the molecules of oxygen gas pass through the electrical field between the electrodes. Due to the collision of electrons in plasma powered by radio sources, oxygen atoms combine with oxygen gas molecules to form ozone gas.
The relationship between ozone concentration and oxygen flow rates is shown in Figure 3a.
The relationship between ozone concentration and oxygen flow rates is shown in Figure 3a. At a minimum breakdown voltage of 6 kVp-p and resonance frequency of 224 kHz when the oxygen flow rate was 1, 2, 3, and 4 L/min, the ozone concentration was about 55, 80, 55, and 30 ppm, respectively.
The dependence of ozone concentration on the discharge time, while the oxygen flow rate 2, 3, and 4 L/min, was shown in Figure 3b. At first, the ozone concentration will gradually increase. After that, the ozone concentration will become constant after about 15 min for all flow rates.

3.2. Ethylene Concentration of Mangosteen Fruit

Figure 4 depicts the relationship between ethylene concentration and days of storage under all conditions for mangosteen fruit harvested at stage one and stored at 15 °C. The highest concentration was observed in the control and the lowest value was found in the oxygen flow rate of 2 L/min. The ethylene concentration of control fruit on day 1 is about 0.56 ppm and rapidly increases to a maximum of about 18 ppm by day 19, then decreases slightly afterward. The ethylene concentration of fruit treated with ozone from oxygen flow rates 2, 3, and 4 L/min on day one are about 0.21, 0.30, and 0.35 ppm, respectively, after that increase to a maximum of about 1.65, 4.04, and 5.67 ppm by day 24, 22 and 22, respectively, and then slightly change.
The ethylene concentration of fruits under the control treatment was significantly higher than that of fruits under the ozone treatment at the end of shelf life, indicating that ozone treatment significantly reduced the ethylene concentration and oxygen flow rate 2 L/min ozone treatment was the most effective.

3.3. Assessment of the Quality and Sensory Evaluation

Results of the study from the previous topic indicate that 2 L/min was the optimal oxygen flow rate. Consequently, the term “ozone” in studies on the impact of ozone on prolonging mangosteen’s shelf life refers to the fruits treated with ozone generated by this condition. Fruit color, firmness, weight loss percentage, and sensory evaluation were used as the criteria for quality assessment in post-treatment studies.
Fruit color was measured as L*, a*, and b* values. These three coordinates represent the lightness of the color, its position between red/magenta and green, and its position between yellow and blue, respectively. The L*, a*, and b* values for all storage days of all treatments are shown in Figure 5a–c.
The color was light greenish yellow with 5–50% scattered pink spots when harvested at stage 1. The L* value in the control treatment at 15 °C quickly decreased after the fifth day of storage. The color turned dark purple after ten days. It was a dark purple by day 19, and the value had slightly changed. On the same storage day, the a* value demonstrates opposite characteristics, and the b* value will continuously decrease. Furthermore, Figure 5a–c demonstrates that these transformations happened more slowly in the treatment fruit.
When the fruit color developed uniformly dark purple, the storage life ended. After the fruit color developed to uniformly dark purple was evaluated the quality in terms of their weight loss percentage, pericarp firmness, and sensory evaluation in terms of fruit pericarp color, flavor, and overall acceptability by ten trained panelists using a five-point scale from 5 (extreme liking) to 1 (extreme disliking), as shown in the following Table 1. Fruit that was harvested at stage 1 continued storage development to stage 6 under the control treatment in 19 days whereas fruit under the ozone treatment completed color development in 28 days.
Fruits under the ozone treatment lost significantly less weight than fruits in the control treatment. By the end of the storage day for each treatment, the weight loss from the ozone treatment was 1.24%, significantly less and different (p < 0.05) than the weight loss from the control treatment, which was 4.58%. While the pericarp firmness in the control fruit was approximately 17.45 N, significantly different (p < 0.05) than the firmness value in the fruit that had received ozone treatment was about 28.63 N.
Furthermore, Table 1 displays the results of the sensory tests. The sensory score of the fruit treated with ozone was higher and significantly different (p < 0.05) from that of the control fruit. Fruit pericarp color, flavor, and overall acceptance were 3.64, 3.37, and 3.62 for the control treatment, and 4.72, 4.58, and 4.65 for the ozone treatment, respectively. At the end of storage, the appearance of control and ozone-treated mangosteen, the fruit peel color of both treatments developed to a uniform dark purple. Nevertheless, it was observed that the calyx of the control treatment set turned brown, but the ozone treatment preserved the freshness of the green calyx.

4. Discussion

4.1. Characteristics of the Ozone Production System

In the beginning, the ozone concentration rises with higher flow rates, as shown in Figure 3a. The ozone tube’s internal space becomes a discharge area when steady power is applied to it. The oxygen gas molecules in this area move across it and break the bond between the oxygen molecules, which causes the oxygen atom to be produced. Ozone gas molecules are formed when oxygen atoms combine with oxygen molecules. Low oxygen gas molecule volume results in low ozone concentration at low flow rates. At a high flow rate, some oxygen gas molecules are incorporated into ozone gas molecules, resulting in low concentrations when the concentration is higher as the flow rate increases. In this research, a flow rate of 2 L/min produced the highest intensity, and the concentration that resulted was rapidly declining. In addition, a large flow rate of oxygen molecules enters the discharging area quickly. Thus, the majority of gas molecules are not broken apart.
The ozone concentration as a function of the discharge time at a 2, 3, and 4 L/min oxygen flow rate is shown in Figure 3b. It is obvious that ozone concentration gradually grows with discharge time and reaches saturation at some point. After a discharge time of more than 15 min, the concentration stabilizes, meaning that ozone increases as time increases and becomes saturated, corresponding to Basel et al. [27]. The oxygen atoms were produced during the discharge, and when the discharge continues for a longer duration, increased quantities of singlet oxygen build-up, which enhances the destruction of ozone [28].

4.2. Ethylene Concentration of Mangosteen Fruit

Mangosteen is a climacteric fruit that ripens via the hormone ethylene [2]. Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone important in inducing the ripening process. The pattern of ethylene concentration of untreated ozone mangosteen at 15 °C in this study is approximately 0.56 ppm on day 1, 1.4 ppm on day 8, and rapidly increases to a maximum of about 17.64 ppm by day 19.
The results showed that at the maximum ethylene concentration day, the concentration of untreated fruit was about 11, 4, and 3-fold higher than treated fruit after ozone fumigation from oxygen flow rates 2, 3, and 4 L/min (ozone concentration about 80, 55, and 30 ppm), respectively. When ozone concentration increased, so did a trend showing a decrease in ethylene concentration. This result agreed with the findings mentioned by Triardianto et al. [29], Cao et al. [30], Minas et al. [19]. It was indicated that ethylene may potentially be oxidized by ozone and that this would be more significant as ozone exposure concentrations increase. When ethylene is exposed to ozone over an extended period of time in a humid cold storage environment, it eventually breaks down into carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water [31].
In climacteric fruits, ethylene is the main regulator of ripening [32]. Mangosteen is a fruit that displays climacteric characteristics, so ethylene plays a significant role in ripening [33]. Our results imply that ozone can prolong the life of fruit after harvest by effectively inhibiting the ripening and maturity processes. Longer shelf life is achieved by inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis or ethylene activity, which effectively slows down the ripening process [29]. According to Toti et al. [34], using ozone to treat cantaloupe melons for 13 days at 6 °C decreased the activities of cell wall enzymes, lowering the ethylene concentration and extending the shelf life.

4.3. Assessment of the Quality and Sensory Evaluation

Ozone can extend shelf life by oxidizing the ethylene gas produced during mangosteen’s respiration process [35]. In addition, the ethylene production correlated well with the color changes of mangosteen. Therefore, ozone affected the mangosteen fruit’s color during storage.
In this study, when the mangosteen fruit ripened, the lightness (L*) values in the skin declined. Compared to the control treatment, the rate at which the L* values decreased during the ozone treatment slowed. L* values decreased, indicating a darkening of the surface, which might be explained by the increased anthocyanin content.
Because chlorophyll is degraded in control fruits, the values of b* and a* change more rapidly, enabling other pigments’ colors to be observed. Through this process, the color green transforms into other colors, including yellow, pink, red, and purple, and finally into black. Anthocyanin pigments cause skin discolorations to turn reddish-yellow depending on their concentration [15]. Treatments with ozone had an impact on the content of anthocyanin. Anthocyanin content typically declined as ozone levels and treatment time increased [36]. It has been suggested that applying ozone to fruit during storage can prevent fruit skin color from changing.
Fruits under the ozone treatment lost significantly less weight than fruits in the control treatment. Throughout the process of preserving mangosteen, water loss occurs. As a result, mangosteen fruit weight decreases. The rate of water loss is influenced by the rate of respiration, temperature fluctuation, and relative humidity levels [17]. The ozone treatment’s reduced weight loss may be caused by the structure of the inhibition of respiration rate [37,38].
The firmness of the pericarp is a crucial fruit feature because it is used by many consumers to assess the mangosteen’s quality. At the end of the storage day, a comparison between the control treatment and the ozone treatment shows that the pericarp firmness of the mangosteen significantly increased while the weight loss percentage decreased. Fruit firmness varies during ripening and storage as a result of protopectin being converted to pectin [17]. The peel of mangosteen fruits, which also contains pectin, phenolic acid, tannin, xanthone, and anthocyanins, is the most significant component [39]. Oxidation caused by ozone has the possibility of adversely influencing pectin’s activities.
The primary factor influencing consumer preference and determining whether a product is accepted or rejected is the mangosteen’s external appearance. In all evaluation parameters, the sensory score of fruit treated with ozone was higher than the control group. Our results demonstrate that ozone has a longer shelf life while having no negative effects on the quality of the harvested fruit. Ozone treatments have been shown in various studies to be an alternate approach for extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables while preserving the sensory quality, such as fresh strawberries [17] and papaya [18].

5. Conclusions

The findings demonstrate that decreasing ethylene concentrations of mangosteen storage are driven by increasing ozone concentrations. Ozone can extend the life of mangosteen after harvest. Treated ozone fruit have results of assessing the quality involved in evaluating L*, a*, b*, and pericarp firmness values were higher compared with the control fruit. The weight loss of the ozone treatment was reduced significantly compared to the control treatment. Fruit pericarp color, flavor, and overall acceptance of the fruit in all parameters of sensory evolution fruit treated with ozone were higher than the control fruit in the same approach. According to the research, a technology the plasma ozonizer system will be used for developing a fruit and vegetable export storage system in the future.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, P.C. (Pitchasak Chankuson); methodology, P.C. (Pitchasak Chankuson) and P.C. (Paramee Chumsri); validation, P.C. (Pitchasak Chankuson) and P.C. (Paramee Chumsri); formal analysis, P.C. (Pitchasak Chankuson) and P.C. (Paramee Chumsri); writing—original draft preparation, P.C. (Pitchasak Chankuson); writing—review and editing, P.C. (Pitchasak Chankuson) All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Not applicable.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Research and Development Center, Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University, and the Center of Excellence in Plasma and Electromagnetic Waves, Walailak University, for supporting research equipment.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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Applsci 13 04873 g001 550
Figure 1. Diagram of the ozone tube used in this study.
Figure 1. Diagram of the ozone tube used in this study.
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Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the experimental setup used for ozone treatment.
Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the experimental setup used for ozone treatment.
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Figure 3. The dependence of ozone concentration on (a) oxygen flow rate; (b) discharge time.
Figure 3. The dependence of ozone concentration on (a) oxygen flow rate; (b) discharge time.
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Figure 4. The ethylene concentration of mangosteen fruit harvested at stage 1 was measured whole non-treated and treated with ozone from oxygen flow rates 2, 3, and 4 L/min in fruit stored at 15 °C.
Figure 4. The ethylene concentration of mangosteen fruit harvested at stage 1 was measured whole non-treated and treated with ozone from oxygen flow rates 2, 3, and 4 L/min in fruit stored at 15 °C.
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Figure 5. This showed that the treatments affected the quality of the color, namely the value of L*, a* and b* of mangosteen fruit during storage, respectively.
Figure 5. This showed that the treatments affected the quality of the color, namely the value of L*, a* and b* of mangosteen fruit during storage, respectively.
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Table
Table 1. Assessment of the quality and sensory evaluation of mangosteen during coloration from light greenish yellow with 5–50% scattered pinkish spots to uniformly dark purple.
Table 1. Assessment of the quality and sensory evaluation of mangosteen during coloration from light greenish yellow with 5–50% scattered pinkish spots to uniformly dark purple.
TreatmentWeight Loss
Percentage		Pericarp
Firmness (N)		Fruit Pericarp ColorFlavorOverall
Acceptance
Control
Ozone		4.58 ± 0.43 a17.45 ± 1.63 a3.64 ± 0.38 a3.37 ± 0.97 a3.62 ± 0.27 a
1.24 ± 0.14 b28.63 ± 2.44 b4.72 ± 0.15 b4.58 ± 0.26 b4.65 ± 0.18 b
Values are means ± standard deviation (SD); Values in the same column followed by different letters superscripts differ significantly (p < 0.05).
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Chankuson, P.; Chumsri, P. The Plasma Ozonizer System for Mangosteen Storage Container to Preserve the Quality of Mangosteen. Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 4873. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084873

AMA Style

Chankuson P, Chumsri P. The Plasma Ozonizer System for Mangosteen Storage Container to Preserve the Quality of Mangosteen. Applied Sciences. 2023; 13(8):4873. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084873

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chankuson, Pitchasak, and Paramee Chumsri. 2023. "The Plasma Ozonizer System for Mangosteen Storage Container to Preserve the Quality of Mangosteen" Applied Sciences 13, no. 8: 4873. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084873

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