Quality Changes and Fungal Microbiota Dynamics in Stored Jujube Fruits: Insights from High-Throughput Sequencing for Food Preservation

Abstract

Postharvest rot is an urgent problem affecting the storage of winter jujube. Therefore, the development of new technologies for efficient and safe preservation is very important. This study aimed to elucidate the fungal microbiota found on the epidermis of jujube during the storage period using high-throughput sequencing, as well as to monitor the changes in quality indexes throughout this period. Through internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing, we identified two phyla (Basidiomycota and Ascomycota) and six genera (Cryptococcus, Bulleromyces, Sporidiobolus, Alternaria, Pseudozyma, and Sporobolomyces), which potentially contribute to the spoilage and deterioration of jujube, referred to as “core fungal taxa”. A high correlation was further found between preservation indices (including decay rate, firmness, and total soluble solids) and the growth of multiple core fungi over time. These findings will provide insights and a theoretical basis for further research on preservation techniques related to biological control during date fruit storage.