Early postharvest application of LED lighting enhances strawberry quality during storage

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) perishability challenges postharvest quality retention. Traditional postharvest methods have limitations, and early harvesting to extend shelf-life often compromises sensory attributes. This study investigated whether 24 h or 48 h treatments performed at the beginning of postharvest with Red, Blue, Far-Red, or UV-A light-emitting diode (LED) light could improve 'Elsanta' strawberry quality during subsequent 7-day storage at suboptimal temperature (5 °C). Fruit quality attributes, including firmness, weight loss, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), anthocyanins, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), were assessed. While LED treatments did not significantly affect firmness, they generally increased weight loss compared to dark controls (particularly after 48 h Blue/Red/Far-Red exposures). Light effects on SSC were complex and duration-dependent. Notably, all LED treatments significantly enhanced total anthocyanin content (especially after 48 h exposure), although instrumental color measurements remained unchanged. Compared to dark controls Blue and Red light (especially after 48 h) significantly increased the concentration of key aroma-related VOCs, for the most esters. In conclusion a brief, early postharvest LED exposure, particularly using Blue and Red light, can trigger lasting beneficial effects, enhancing nutritionally relevant anthocyanins and aroma-defining VOCs during storage at 5 °C. This suggests an 'early signal' mechanism and offers a potentially practical strategy to improve strawberry quality, mitigating negative impacts of commercial early harvesting practices and potentially benefiting other non-climacteric fruits.