Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Pre-Cooling Technologies of Cherry and Sour Pearl Fruits in Respect of the Control of Epiphytic Microflora
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64378/iriush.journals.2026.3.1Keywords:
storage duration, fruit raw material, cultivars, fungi, bacteria, microbial contamination, microbiological qualityAbstract
Sweet and sour cherries are non-climacteric fruits characterized by rapid spoilage, which complicates their storage and transportation within the supply chain. The high intensity of respiratory processes in these fruits leads to a quick decline in quality and significantly limits their shelf life in fresh form. Therefore, minimizing postharvest losses of these fruits remains an urgent challenge. Research efforts are focused on extending the storage period of sweet and sour cherries, preserving their consumer qualities, and reducing microbial contamination on fruit surfaces. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different pre-cooling methods on the development of epiphytic microflora of sweet and sour cherry fruits to preserve raw material quality and identify the most effective technological approach. The study analyzed the influence of slow air cooling (SAC), intensive air cooling (IAC), hydro-cooling (HC), and a combined method (CM) of pre-cooling on the microbiological quality of fruit raw materials. It was established that the choice of pre-cooling method significantly affected the intensity of epiphytic microflora development, particularly bacterial and fungal communities, during storage. The combined pre-cooling method provided the most effective suppression of micromycetes. After 30 days of storage, the number of fungi and bacteria on the fruit surfaces decreased by 2.0–4.0 times compared to the initial levels. The use of the combined method effectively inhibited microbial growth and prolonged the preservation of fruit quality. The practical results of this research can be applied in postharvest handling and storage enterprises, in the production of frozen raw materials and semi-finished products, as well as in the development of technological regulations aimed at minimizing microbiological spoilage.
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