A Numerical and Experimental Study on Short‐Term Hypobaric Treatment for Extending the Shelf‐Life of Pineapple

ABSTRACT

Pineapple is a highly perishable fruit with a short shelf life, resulting in significant postharvest losses. This study integrated numerical simulation and experimental validation: a COMSOL Multiphysics‐based model was developed to simulate heat and mass transfer during the 6.2 h hypobaric treatment (HT, 1000 Pa, 95% RH), with conventional refrigeration (CK, same temperature/RH, atmospheric pressure) as the control. The model accurately predicted two key dynamics: the pineapple core exhibited the slowest cooling rate (reaching 11°C in 6.2 h) and smallest temperature gradient relative to the flesh; the evaporation front progressively migrated toward the core as HT proceeded, with HT accelerating core cooling by 23% compared to CK. Experimental results confirmed that HT effectively maintained quality: it delayed the occurrence of blackheart disorder by 4 days, reduced weight loss rate by 24.3% after 14 days of storage, and preserved firmness, titratable acidity (TA), and ascorbic acid (AsA) content. These findings demonstrate that short‐term hypobaric treatment is a viable technique for extending the shelf‐life of pineapple, offering both theoretical and practical implications for postharvest preservation.