Applied Sciences (Jun 2022)

The Effect of UV-C Irradiation on the Mechanical and Physiological Properties of Potato Tuber and Different Products

  • Addis Lemessa,
  • Ernest Popardowski,
  • Tomasz Hebda,
  • Tomasz Jakubowski

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/app12125907
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 12
p. 5907

Abstract

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Amongst the surface treatment technologies to emerge in the last few decades, UV-C radiation surface treatment is widely used in food process industries for the purpose of shelf life elongation, bacterial inactivation, and stimulation. However, the short wave application is highly dose-dependent and induces different properties of the product during exposure. Mechanical properties of the agricultural products and their derivatives represent the key indicator of acceptability by the end-user. This paper surveys the recent findings of the influence of UV-C on the stress response and physiological change concerning the mechanical and textural properties of miscellaneous agricultural products with a specific focus on a potato tuber. This paper also reviewed the hormetic effect of UV-C triggered at a different classification of doses studied so far on the amount of phenolic content, antioxidants, and other chemicals responsible for the stimulation process. The combined technologies with UV-C for product quality improvement are also highlighted. The review work draws the current challenges as well as future perspectives. Moreover, a way forward in the key areas of improvement of UV-C treatment technologies is suggested that can induce a favorable stress, enabling the product to achieve self-defense mechanisms against wound, impact, and mechanical damage.

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