Impact of Plasma-Activated Water Treatment on Quality and Shelf-Life of Fresh Spinach Leaves Evaluated by Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis
Fresh baby spinach leaves are popular in salads and are sold as chilled and plastic-packed products. They are of high nutritional value but very perishable due to microbial contamination and enzymatic browning resulting from leaf senescence. Therefore, innovative food processing methods such as plas...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/12/3067 |
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| author | Oscar Daniel Rangel-Huerta Lada Ivanova Silvio Uhlig Morten Sivertsvik Izumi Sone Estefanía Noriega Fernández Christiane Kruse Fæste |
| author_facet | Oscar Daniel Rangel-Huerta Lada Ivanova Silvio Uhlig Morten Sivertsvik Izumi Sone Estefanía Noriega Fernández Christiane Kruse Fæste |
| author_sort | Oscar Daniel Rangel-Huerta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fresh baby spinach leaves are popular in salads and are sold as chilled and plastic-packed products. They are of high nutritional value but very perishable due to microbial contamination and enzymatic browning resulting from leaf senescence. Therefore, innovative food processing methods such as plasma-activated water (PAW) treatment are being explored regarding their applicability for ensuring food safety. PAW’s impact on food quality and shelf-life extension has, however, not been investigated extensively in vegetables so far. In the present study, a comprehensive metabolomic analysis was performed to determine possible changes in the metabolite contents of spinach leaves stored in a refrigerated state for eight days. Liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry, followed by stringent biostatistics, was used to compare the metabolomes in control, tap-water-rinsed or PAW-rinsed samples. No significant differences were discernible between the treatment groups at the beginning or end of the storage period. The observed loss of nutrients and activation of catabolic pathways were characteristic of a transition into the senescent state. Nonetheless, the presence of several polyphenolic antioxidants and γ-linolenic acid in the PAW-treated leaves indicated a significant increase in stress resistance and health-promoting antioxidant capacity in the sample. Furthermore, the enhancement of carbohydrate-related metabolisms indicated a delay in the senescence development. These findings demonstrated the potential of PAW to benefit food quality and the shelf-life of fresh spinach leaves. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:08:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3af03d979a934435b734ff138d1b6f1d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:08:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-3af03d979a934435b734ff138d1b6f1d2023-11-23T08:18:22ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582021-12-011012306710.3390/foods10123067Impact of Plasma-Activated Water Treatment on Quality and Shelf-Life of Fresh Spinach Leaves Evaluated by Comprehensive Metabolomic AnalysisOscar Daniel Rangel-Huerta0Lada Ivanova1Silvio Uhlig2Morten Sivertsvik3Izumi Sone4Estefanía Noriega Fernández5Christiane Kruse Fæste6Section for Chemistry and Toxinology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 64, N-1431 Ås, NorwaySection for Chemistry and Toxinology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 64, N-1431 Ås, NorwaySection for Chemistry and Toxinology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 64, N-1431 Ås, NorwayNofima AS, Department of Processing Technology, Richard Johnsens Gate 4, 4021 Stavanger, NorwayNofima AS, Department of Processing Technology, Richard Johnsens Gate 4, 4021 Stavanger, NorwayNofima AS, Department of Processing Technology, Richard Johnsens Gate 4, 4021 Stavanger, NorwaySection for Chemistry and Toxinology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 64, N-1431 Ås, NorwayFresh baby spinach leaves are popular in salads and are sold as chilled and plastic-packed products. They are of high nutritional value but very perishable due to microbial contamination and enzymatic browning resulting from leaf senescence. Therefore, innovative food processing methods such as plasma-activated water (PAW) treatment are being explored regarding their applicability for ensuring food safety. PAW’s impact on food quality and shelf-life extension has, however, not been investigated extensively in vegetables so far. In the present study, a comprehensive metabolomic analysis was performed to determine possible changes in the metabolite contents of spinach leaves stored in a refrigerated state for eight days. Liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry, followed by stringent biostatistics, was used to compare the metabolomes in control, tap-water-rinsed or PAW-rinsed samples. No significant differences were discernible between the treatment groups at the beginning or end of the storage period. The observed loss of nutrients and activation of catabolic pathways were characteristic of a transition into the senescent state. Nonetheless, the presence of several polyphenolic antioxidants and γ-linolenic acid in the PAW-treated leaves indicated a significant increase in stress resistance and health-promoting antioxidant capacity in the sample. Furthermore, the enhancement of carbohydrate-related metabolisms indicated a delay in the senescence development. These findings demonstrated the potential of PAW to benefit food quality and the shelf-life of fresh spinach leaves.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/12/3067food processingfood qualitymetabolomicsplasma-activated watersenescencespinach leaves |
| spellingShingle | Oscar Daniel Rangel-Huerta Lada Ivanova Silvio Uhlig Morten Sivertsvik Izumi Sone Estefanía Noriega Fernández Christiane Kruse Fæste Impact of Plasma-Activated Water Treatment on Quality and Shelf-Life of Fresh Spinach Leaves Evaluated by Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis Foods food processing food quality metabolomics plasma-activated water senescence spinach leaves |
| title | Impact of Plasma-Activated Water Treatment on Quality and Shelf-Life of Fresh Spinach Leaves Evaluated by Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis |
| title_full | Impact of Plasma-Activated Water Treatment on Quality and Shelf-Life of Fresh Spinach Leaves Evaluated by Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Plasma-Activated Water Treatment on Quality and Shelf-Life of Fresh Spinach Leaves Evaluated by Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Plasma-Activated Water Treatment on Quality and Shelf-Life of Fresh Spinach Leaves Evaluated by Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis |
| title_short | Impact of Plasma-Activated Water Treatment on Quality and Shelf-Life of Fresh Spinach Leaves Evaluated by Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis |
| title_sort | impact of plasma activated water treatment on quality and shelf life of fresh spinach leaves evaluated by comprehensive metabolomic analysis |
| topic | food processing food quality metabolomics plasma-activated water senescence spinach leaves |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/12/3067 |
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