Efficacy of sweep ultrasound on natural microbiota reduction and quality preservation of Chinese cabbage during storage

•Impact of ultrasound and sanitizer on quality of Chinese cabbage was investigated.•Combined treatments were effective in reducing microbial load than single treatments.•Sweep ultrasound plus NaOCl presented synergistic effects on microbiota reduction.•Combined treatments subdued microbial survival and prolonged shelf life of samples.•Combined treatments produced better-quality characteristics than single treatments. In this study, the effect of sweep frequency ultrasound (SFUS), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and their combinations (SFUS + NaOCl) in reducing and inhibiting natural microbiota as well as preserving quality of fresh-cut Chinese cabbage during storage (4 °C and 25 °C) for up to 7 days was investigated. In effect, 40 kHz sweep frequency ultrasound in combination with 100 mg/L sodium hypochlorite resulted in maximum reduction and inhibition of mesophilic counts, yeast and molds and minimum chlorophyll depletion, weight loss and electrolyte leakage. However, colour and textural characteristics deteriorated. The combined treatment suppressed the activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase and manifested its preservative effect after Fourier Transform near-infrared spectroscopy analysis. Synergistic reductions were recorded in most of the combined treatments though largely