Environmentally sustainable triple-technique strategy to extend shelf-life of potato tubers: Combined treatment with excimer radiation, ultrasonic cleaning, and edible coating

Maintaining the postharvest quality of potatoes is crucial for reducing food waste and ensuring food security. Two key challenges in achieving this are controlling Pectobacterium spp., a pathogen responsible for soft rot, and regulating respiration rates that accelerate physiological aging. In this study, an environmentally sustainable excimer lamp-ultrasonic cleaning combination system was developed to control Pectobacterium spp. in potatoes. Additionally, an edible shellac coating was applied to reduce the respiration rate of the potatoes. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of combined treatment with the excimer lamp-ultrasonic cleaning combination system and shellac coating, referred to as the triple-technique strategy, on extending the postharvest quality of potatoes. Potatoes treated with these three strategies showed approximately 3-log reductions in Pectobacterium carotovorum and total aerobic bacterial counts compared to the control sample after 12 d of storage at room temperature (23 ± 1 °C) and 70 % relative humidity. In addition, the respiration rate of the treated potatoes was approximately 20 % lower than that of the control sample after 12 d of storage. Furthermore, the triple-technique strategy delayed greening and weight loss while maintaining firmness, thereby contributing to the shelf-life extension. These findings demonstrated the potential of this sustainable approach for extending the shelf-life of potatoes and other agricultural products, providing a promising solution to global postharvest challenges.