Impact of Ozone-Based Postharvest Treatment on the Quality and Shelf Life of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) Microgreens

Microgreens are young vegetable seedlings that have garnered significant attention due to their high concentrations of health-promoting phytochemicals. However, their highly perishable nature presents a significant challenge for postharvest storage. Among the various preservation technologies available, ozone treatment applied to microgreens-an innovative and environmentally sustainable method-has not been extensively studied. This study evaluated the effect of ozone-based sanitization on the shelf life and quality of radish microgreens. Conventional washing treatments using chlorinated water and tap water were compared to ozonated water. During refrigerated storage, key quality parameters were systematically monitored, including fresh weight loss, electrolyte leakage, color changes, and microbial counts. Ozonated water effectively reduced the initial aerobic mesophilic bacterial populations, with no statistically significant differences compared to conventional chlorine treatment. Furthermore, ozone treatment had minimal impact on color, and the weight loss remained below 1%. Although tissue wilting was observed, it was significantly less severe than that associated with chlorine treatment. These findings suggest that ozonated water is a promising alternative to conventional postharvest treatments for enhancing the shelf life and microbiological safety of ready-to-eat microgreens. Highlights: • Addressing the issue of limited shelf life of microgreens. • Innovative and sustainable ozone technology applied to the postharvest of microgreens. • Ozone as an alternative to chlorine for sanitation of ready-to-eat microgreens. • Aqueous ozone for initial control of aerobic mesophilic bacteria in microgreens. • Minimal weight loss and no color change in ozone-washed microgreens.