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Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced
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Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 January 2024) | Viewed by 8473

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zisheng Luo

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Guest Editor
College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: food quality and safety control; food nutrition evaluation; environment-friendly food preservation; postharvest physiology; logistics technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dong Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: postharvest storage and logistics; regulation of ripening and senescence; plant hormone signal; biotic and abiotic stress; development of preservation strategy; food quality and safety

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of people's diet around the world. The production of global fruits and vegetables has exceeded 2.3 billion tons. However, the post-harvest loss of fruits and vegetables reached more than 20%, which means nearly 50 million tons of fruits and vegetables were wasted. Therefore, post-harvest loss is a key problem that restricts the development of the global agricultural economy. Post-harvest loss is mainly caused by fruit senescence and decay. Due to the vigorous physiological metabolism, the quality of fruits and vegetables deteriorates rapidly during post-harvest storage. As well, adverse environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and gas component, further accelerates fruit senescence. Elucidating the mechanism of quality deterioration and developing effective preservation strategies are necessary and urgent. In addition, the decay of fruits and vegetables caused by pathogens should also be paid attention to. Pathogens not only make fruits and vegetables worthless, but the toxins they produce can also cause food safety problems. Creating efficient bacteriostatic technology to reduce food safety risks is of great significance to the development of the fruit and vegetable logistics industry.

This Special Issue, entitled "Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced", aims to present the latest work in the fields of: i) Changes of metabolites in the post-harvest senescence process; ii) Relationship between endogenous signaling factors and postharvest senescence; iii) Relationship between environmental stress factors and postharvest senescence; iv) Mechanism of pathogens on fruit and vegetable decay; v) Accumulation and metabolism of toxins in fruits and vegetables; vi) New strategies for delaying postharvest losses; vii) New materials and equipment for delaying postharvest losses.

Prof. Dr. Zisheng Luo
Dr. Dong Li
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • senescence mechanism
  • biotic and abiotic stresses
  • cellular signaling factors
  • pathogens control
  • toxin metabolism
  • new preservation strategies
  • preservation materials and equipment

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3258 KiB  
Article
The Simultaneous Use of 1-Methylcyclopropene and Methyl Jasmonate Vapor as an Innovative Strategy for Reducing Chilling Injury and Maintaining Pomegranate Fruit Quality at Suboptimal Temperatures
by José Manuel Lorente-Mento, María Serrano, Domingo Martínez-Romero, María Celeste Ruiz-Aracil, Daniel Valero and Fabián Guillén
Foods 2024, 13(1), 60; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods13010060 - 22 Dec 2023
Viewed by 600
Abstract
Spain is one of the main contributors to global pomegranate production. Pomegranate presents a challenge for preservation at suboptimal temperatures. Preserving this fruit for an extended period is challenging due to its susceptibility to chilling injury (CI). For this reason, we have examined [...] Read more.
Spain is one of the main contributors to global pomegranate production. Pomegranate presents a challenge for preservation at suboptimal temperatures. Preserving this fruit for an extended period is challenging due to its susceptibility to chilling injury (CI). For this reason, we have examined different postharvest treatments to extend the pomegranate shelf life and their potential impact on reducing CI. For this reason, two postharvest treatments have been applied: 1-Methylcyclopropene (1000 nL L−1 1-MCP) and methyl jasmonate vapors (0.01 mM MeJA), a natural elicitor found in many plant organs that induces a wide range of physiological processes, including the activation of defense mechanisms against stress. Following the application of these treatments and subsequent fruit storage at 2 °C for 90 days, maintenance of firmness and membrane integrity was observed. Additionally, a positive synergic effect was observed in these quality traits when combining both substances (1-MCP + MeJA), especially with regard to delaying weight loss, the external color evolution, and total polyphenol accumulation. On the other hand, MeJA treatment alone or in combination with 1-MCP also increased the anthocyanin content in arils, thereby enhancing the fruit quality. In general, the best results were observed when these two different technologies were applied as a combined treatment, especially in terms of maintaining quality traits such as fruit firmness and total acidity and reducing weight loss and CI. This is the first time that these two substances have been tested together in any fruit species, and their simultaneous application in the same container represents an innovative approach that could be an interesting tool for commercial purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced)
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14 pages, 2042 KiB  
Article
Exogenous Phytosulfokine α (PSKα) Alleviates Chilling Injury of Kiwifruit by Regulating Ca2+ and Protein Kinase-Mediated Reactive Oxygen Species Metabolism
by Di Wang, Xueyan Ren, Lingkui Meng, Renyu Zheng, Dong Li and Qingjun Kong
Foods 2023, 12(23), 4196; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12234196 - 21 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 786
Abstract
Kiwifruit fruit stored at low temperatures are susceptible to chilling injury, leading to rapid softening, which therefore affects storage and marketing. The effect of 150 nM mL−1 of exogenous phytosulfokine α (PSKα) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, Ca2+ signaling, and [...] Read more.
Kiwifruit fruit stored at low temperatures are susceptible to chilling injury, leading to rapid softening, which therefore affects storage and marketing. The effect of 150 nM mL−1 of exogenous phytosulfokine α (PSKα) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, Ca2+ signaling, and signal-transducing MAPK in kiwifruit, stored at 0 °C for 60 days, was investigated. The results demonstrated that PSKα treatment effectively alleviated chilling injury in kiwifruit, with a 15% reduction in damage compared to the control on day 60. In addition, PSKα enhanced the activities and gene expression levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), Ca2+−ATPase, and mitogen−activated protein kinase (MAPK). In contrast, the activities and gene expression levels of NADPH oxidase (NOX) were inhibited, leading to a lower accumulation of O2− and H2O2, which were 47.2% and 42.2% lower than those in the control at the end of storage, respectively. Furthermore, PSKα treatment enhanced the calmodulin (CaM) content of kiwifruit, which was 1.41 times that of the control on day 50. These results indicate that PSKα can mitigate chilling injury and softening of kiwifruit by inhibiting the accumulation of ROS, increasing antioxidant capacity by inducing antioxidant enzymes, activating Ca2+ signaling, and responding to MAPK protein kinase. The present results provide evidence that exogenous PSKα may be taken for a hopeful treatment in alleviating chilling injury and maintaining the quality of kiwifruit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced)
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16 pages, 4321 KiB  
Article
Reduction of Membrane Lipid Metabolism in Postharvest Hami Melon Fruits by n-Butanol to Mitigate Chilling Injury and the Cloning of Phospholipase D-β Gene
by Shuai Huang, Ying Bi, Hui Li, Caihong Liu, Xue Wang, Xinyu Wang, Yaxin Lei, Qi Zhang and Jing Wang
Foods 2023, 12(9), 1904; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12091904 - 06 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1241
Abstract
To investigate the effect of n-butanol on postharvest membrane lipid metabolism of Hami melon (Cucumis melo ‘Hami’), the fruits were soaked in a 1.0% solution of n-butanol for 30 min with water as the control. Symptoms of chilling injury were observed [...] Read more.
To investigate the effect of n-butanol on postharvest membrane lipid metabolism of Hami melon (Cucumis melo ‘Hami’), the fruits were soaked in a 1.0% solution of n-butanol for 30 min with water as the control. Symptoms of chilling injury were observed regularly, and the indices related to permeability and membrane lipid metabolism of pericarp cells were measured. The results showed that treatment with n-butanol inhibited the increase in chilling injury index, membrane permeability, and malondialdehyde content of Hami melon fruits, promoted an increase in the contents of phosphatidyl alcohol and unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid (except 14 d), and erucic acid (28–42 d), and decreased the content of saturated fatty acids, stearic acid (0–28 d), phosphatidic acid (except for 21 d), and the key enzymes of membrane lipid metabolism compared with the control. The activities of phospholipase D (PLD) and lipoxygenase (LOX) and the downregulation of the levels of expression CmPLD-β and CmLOX (42 d only) genes reduced the chilling injury index of Hami melon and alleviated the further expansion of chilling injury symptoms in the fruits. We also cloned the key gene of membrane lipid metabolism CmPLD-β, which was obtained by pre-transcriptome screening of the pericarp. We found that CmPLD-β of Hami melon had the closest affinity with cucumber (CsXP5), indicating that the CmPLD-β gene of Hami melon was functionally similar to that of cucumber. In addition, a two-fold alignment analysis of CmPLD-β and CmXP5 base sequences indicated that the base sequences of the two promoter regions differed from each other. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced)
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12 pages, 10187 KiB  
Article
The Grade of Dried Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Junzao) Affects Its Quality Attributes, Antioxidant Activity, and Volatile Aroma Components
by Zhengbao Wu, Shuang Zhang, Lingling Liu, Luyin Wang and Zhaojun Ban
Foods 2023, 12(5), 989; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12050989 - 26 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1934
Abstract
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Junzao) has attracted a large number of consumers because it is rich in nutrients, such as carbohydrates, organic acids, and amino acids. Dried jujube is more conducive to storage and transportation, and has a more intense flavor. [...] Read more.
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Junzao) has attracted a large number of consumers because it is rich in nutrients, such as carbohydrates, organic acids, and amino acids. Dried jujube is more conducive to storage and transportation, and has a more intense flavor. Consumers are affected by subjective factors, and the most important factor is the appearance of the fruit, including size and color. In this study, fully matured jujubes were dried and divided into five grades according to their transverse diameter and jujube number per kilogram. In addition, the quality attributes, antioxidant activities, mineral elements, and volatile aroma components of dried jujube were further analyzed. As the dried jujube grade increased, the total flavonoid content increased, which was positively correlated with the antioxidant activity. The results showed that small dried jujube had a higher total acidity and lower sugar–acid ratio than large and medium dried jujube, thus, large and medium dried jujube had a better flavor than small dried jujube. However, the antioxidant activity and mineral elements of medium and small dried jujube were superior to large dried jujube. From the edible value analysis of dried jujube, medium and small dried jujube were better than large dried jujube. Potassium is the highest among the measured mineral elements, with contents ranging from 10,223.80 mg/kg to 16,620.82 mg/kg, followed by Ca and Mg. Twenty-nine volatile aroma components of dried jujube were identified by GC–MS analysis. The main volatile aroma components were acids including n-decanoic acid, benzoic acid, and dodecanoic acid. The fruit size affected the quality attributes, antioxidant activity, mineral elements, and volatile aroma components of dried jujube. This study provided a piece of reference information for further high-quality production of dried jujube fruit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced)
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15 pages, 8949 KiB  
Article
Diacetyl Inhibits the Browning of Fresh-Cut Stem Lettuce by Regulating the Metabolism of Phenylpropane and Antioxidant Ability
by Xiaotong Li, Song Zhang, Qingguo Wang and Tiantian Dong
Foods 2023, 12(4), 740; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12040740 - 08 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1701
Abstract
Enzymatic browning is the main quality issue of fresh-cut stem lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. angustana Irish). In this research, the effect of diacetyl on the browning and browning-related mechanisms of fresh-cut stem lettuce was explored. The data showed that diacetyl [...] Read more.
Enzymatic browning is the main quality issue of fresh-cut stem lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. angustana Irish). In this research, the effect of diacetyl on the browning and browning-related mechanisms of fresh-cut stem lettuce was explored. The data showed that diacetyl treatment with 10 μL L−1 inhibited the browning of fresh-cut stem lettuce and extended the shelf life by over 8 d at 4 °C compared with the control. Diacetyl treatment repressed gene expression and decreased the activities of PAL (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), C4H (cinnamate-4-hydroxylase) and 4CL (4-coumarate-CoA ligase), which thus reduced the accumulation of individual and total phenolic compounds. Moreover, diacetyl enhanced the antioxidant ability and reduced ROS accumulation, improving the anti-browning ability and indirectly suppressing the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds. These results indicated that diacetyl treatment repressed the browning of fresh-cut stem lettuce by regulating the phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway and antioxidant ability. This study is the first to report that diacetyl has an effective anti-browning role for fresh-cut stem lettuce. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced)
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12 pages, 2190 KiB  
Article
A New Regulatory Network Controls Chilling Injury in Peach Fruit by γ-Aminobutyric Acid
by Chunbo Song, Cheng Zhou, Yongjian Pan and Zhenfeng Yang
Foods 2023, 12(4), 696; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12040696 - 06 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1467
Abstract
The control of chilling injury in peach fruit by a new regulator network, that exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) regulates the metabolisms of polyamines (PAs), the GABA shunt, and proline, is still unclear. This study found that GABA induced an increase in the expression [...] Read more.
The control of chilling injury in peach fruit by a new regulator network, that exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) regulates the metabolisms of polyamines (PAs), the GABA shunt, and proline, is still unclear. This study found that GABA induced an increase in the expression of PpADC and PpODC and a decrease in the expression of PpPAO expression, resulting in the accumulation of PAs. There was also an increase in the expression of PpGAD, which improved GABA content, and an increase in the expression of PpP5CS and PpOAT, which improved proline content. The correlation analysis showed that an increase in PpADC/PpP5CS expression was closely associated with the accumulation of putrescine and that the synergistic increase in the expression of PpODC and PpGAD/PpP5CS/PpOAT was closely related to the accumulation of spermine, proline, and GABA induced by GABA. Importantly, arginine and PpADC played a key role in putrescine accumulation, whereas ornithine and PpODC/PpOAT played a crucial role in the synergistic accumulation of spermine, proline, and GABA induced by GABA. This study provides new information on GABA-induced cold tolerance in peach fruit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-harvest Losses and Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Produced)
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