Sensory and Physicochemical Quality, Residual Fungicide Levels and Microbial Load in 'Florida Radiance' Strawberries from Different Disease Control Treatments Exposed to Simulated Supply Chain Conditions.

Strawberries are greatly appreciated for their flavor and health-promoting properties. However, current agricultural and postharvest handling practices may result in decreased fruit quality. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of conventional or reduced fungicide applications on the quality of 'Florida Radiance' strawberries exposed to supply chain conditions. Strawberries held under steady temperature had better sensory and physicochemical quality than fruit exposed to supply chain conditions, regardless of the disease control treatment. Strawberries from the reduced fungicide treatment were firmer, lost less moisture, had higher sugar and higher or similar bioactive contents than fruit from the conventional treatment. Sensory scores were better for reduced fungicide fruit held under steady temperature conditions than other treatments at the consumer level. Microbial load increased during the supply chain but results strongly suggest that washing the fruit significantly reduces the microbial load and residual fungicide levels (fludioxonil, cyprodinil, pyraclostrobin, and captan) on the fruit. Overall, the use of reduced fungicide applications to control strawberry disease constitutes a promising alternative to conventional practices. It will help reduce costs by reducing labor and the amount of fungicides used while maintaining overall strawberry quality. Moreover, avoiding abusive and fluctuating temperature conditions during the supply chain will extend shelf-life and reduce strawberry waste.

Sensory Quality, Physicochemical Attributes, Polyphenol Profiles, and Residual Fungicides in Strawberries from Different Disease-Control Treatments.

Using alternative agricultural practices in combination with proper postharvest handling has become a major goal to improve fresh produce quality. Here, two different strawberry ( Fragaria × ananassa) genotypes were used as a model to study the impact of repeated, reduced-fungicide or no-fungicide applications on the sensory quality, physicochemical attributes, polyphenol profiles, and residual fungicide in strawberries. Strawberries grown under reduced-fungicide applications had similar or better physicochemical quality than conventionally and organically grown fruit and lower levels of fungicide residues than conventional fruit. Overall, flavor- and health-related attributes of strawberries from reduced-fungicide applications were intermediate between conventional and organic fruit. Thus, growing strawberries with reduced-fungicide applications can be an alternative to conventional or organic agricultural practices.