Green postharvest treatment of fruits and vegetables using hypochlorous acid electrostatic spraying to reduce food waste

Overview

This research proposes a green, sustainable postharvest treatment for fresh fruits and vegetables (FV) that addresses one of the most pressing challenges in the horticultural industry: significant product loss due to inadequate postharvest handling. The solution uses hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a small natural molecule and strongly oxidizing acid generated as electrolyzed water, applied through a specially designed electrostatic spraying method. This approach effectively kills bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores on the surface of fresh produce without altering sensory attributes such as taste, texture, or appearance. By reducing microbial spoilage, lowering pesticide residues, and eliminating aflatoxins, the technology helps extend the shelf life of fresh produce during storage and transportation, contributing directly to decreased food waste and improved food safety.

Technical specifications

• Active sanitizing agent: Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), an oxyacid of chlorine produced as electrolyzed water, whose effectiveness is largely determined by pH
• Application method: Electrostatic spraying, a specialized technique developed for this purpose that reduces the quantity of HOCl required compared to standard spraying equipment
• Microbial control: Targets fungi, molds, spores, and surface microorganisms responsible for postharvest deterioration
• Residue reduction: Lowers pesticide residues and eliminates aflatoxins on the surface of fresh FV
• Optional complementary approach: Edible packaging based on natural materials such as chitosan, enhanced with natural antioxidants and antimicrobials to provide active treatment and extend shelf life or enhance nutritive value
• Treatment timing: Applied immediately after harvesting, with potential use during packaging, storage, and transportation
• Validation methods: Physico-chemical and microbiological analyses of treated samples to determine optimal treatment parameters

Technology readiness level

The technology builds on substantial existing evidence of HOCl utilization in the agricultural sector, with documented positive effects on horticultural products before and after harvest as well as during packaging and storage. However, the specific combination of HOCl with electrostatic spraying equipment designed for postharvest treatment of fresh produce, along with the proposed sustainable formulation ratio of HOCl components, represents an innovative advancement that has not yet been widely adopted. Future validation activities include: designing and testing electrostatic spraying equipment for storage rooms and transportation; developing suitable edible packaging tailored to specific FV types; combining HOCl treatment with active edible packaging; conducting comprehensive physico-chemical and microbiological analyses; and selecting the best treatment methods for further development and scaling.