摘要：Physicochemical and biological reactions occurring as a result of deterioration of strawberries lead to losses in texture, colour, aroma, flavour and vitamins. For this reason, various pre-treatments are applied to strawberries in order to increase their shelf life. In this study, effects of ultrasound (32 kHz; 20; 50 and 65 ºC) and UV-C (12.36 W/m2) treatments on quality properties of strawberry samples were investigated. Total mesophilic microorganisms count was used to determine microbial effectiveness of each method. UV-C was the most effective alternative method to maintain quality attributes of strawberries such as colour, texture, pH and anthocyanin amount, however it was identified that sufficient microbial inactivation could not be ensured using this technique. Although thermal ultrasonication was effective in microbial inactivation, it was observed that the technique caused colour denaturation and softening in the texture. It was determined that combined use of ultrasonic and thermal treatment, especially at 65 ºC, provided ultrasonic effect in addition to thermal effect on the microbial inactivation. In order to adapt an alternative technology to a commercial application the primary purpose is to ensure the highest degree of safety and to minimize changes in the desirable sensory qualities and nutritional value of the product. Combination of alternative methods may be an option to find the most suitable technique to be used at industrial scale.
