Metabolic Effects of Violet Light on Spoilage Bacteria from Fresh-Cut Pakchoi during Postharvest Stage

Pakchoi (Brassica rapa L. Chinensis) is an important vegetable in Asia. Pseudomonas palleroniana is one of the specific spoilage organisms (SSOs) of fresh-cut pakchoi. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes to the endogenous metabolic spectrum of violet light (405 nm) with regard to food spoilage bacteria from fresh-cut pakchoi using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In this study, P. palleroniana samples were treated with violet light at 4 degrees C, and the maximum dose was 133.63 J/cm(2). The results revealed that 153 metabolites and 83 pathways significantly changed compared to the control group, which indicated that light treatment may lead to ROS accumulation in cells, inducing oxidative stress and the excessive consumption of ATP. However, the increased content of aromatic amino acids and the decreased anabolism of some amino acids and nucleotides might be a form of self-protection by reducing energy consumption, thus contributing to the improvement of the tolerance of cells to illumination. These results provide new insights into the antibacterial mechanism of P. palleroniana with regard to metabolism.

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects of violet light on the endogenous metabolic spectrum of Pseudomonas palleroniana from fresh-cut pakchoi. The results showed that violet light treatment led to ROS accumulation, oxidative stress, and excessive ATP consumption in cells. However, it also increased the content of aromatic amino acids and reduced the synthesis of certain amino acids and nucleotides, possibly as a self-protective mechanism to reduce energy consumption and improve cell tolerance to illumination.