Maintaining the balance of fungal community through active packaging film makes strawberry fruit pose pleasant flavor during storage

This study provided a new perspective on regulating strawberry flavor during storage by maintaining fungal community balance with active packaging film. Compared with initial strawberries (IS), gelatin composite film-packaged strawberries (CG) showed pleasant fruity and fragrance flavor whose relative content of most esters (ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, etc), 2-hexen-1-ol, hexanal D, and 3-pentanone increased, while other treated strawberries possessed alcoholic, sour, or moldy flavor. Furthermore, the relative abundance of fungal community (Mycosphaerella, Botrytis, Papiliotrema, Vishniacozyma, Filobasidium, etc) in CG was similar to that of IS. However, Botrytis was the dominant fungal genus in other treated strawberries and their fungal diversity decreased. Spearman correlation coefficient indicated that Papiliotrema, Vishniacozyma, and Filobasidium were highly correlated with flavor formation of strawberries (esters, alcohols, aldehydes, etc). Therefore, this work contributed to understanding the effect of fungal community on flavor formation of strawberry fruit during storage and also revealing the great potential of gelatin composite film on maintaining the quality of postharvest strawberries during storage. [Display omitted] •Flavor compounds of active packaging treated strawberry was distinctly improved.•Fungal community of active packaging treated strawberry was maintained balance.•The fungal community succession was related to the change of strawberry flavor.•Papiliotrema, Vishniacozyma, and Filobasidium were correlated to strawberry flavor.