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Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 23646

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Rinaldo Botondi

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Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: plant physiology; plant biotechnology; biotechnology; food security; food chemistry; antioxidant activity; food analysis; food quality; food science and technology; food processing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The present Special Issue is the second volume of a previous successful Issue, launched last year: (https://0-www-mdpi-com.brum.beds.ac.uk/journal/foods/special_issues/Postharvest _Fresh_Fruits_Vegetables).

Fresh fruits and vegetables and their processed products have become essential dietary choices in recent years, following some recent studies showing various health benefits associated with their consumption. This Special Issue includes research on raw materials and on processed fruits and vegetables, involving grading, washing, cooling, peeling, blanching, size reduction, freezing, dehydration, canning, minimal processing, and sustainability. It is indeed essential to preserve quality and to reduce loss and waste in the application of appropriate postharvest handling and (new) technology for reducing undesired microbial contamination, spoilage, and decay, as well as maintaining a product’s visual, textural, and nutritional quality. The knowledge of the biochemical and physiological bases of safety and quality evolution in fruits and vegetables provides good guidance for the maintenance of commodities and for the proper use of postharvest technologies and proper commercial product utilization.

Prof. Dr. Rinaldo Botondi
Guest Editor

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

postharvest fruit and vegetable
quality
safety
postharvest technology
postharvest handling
biological control
microbial growth
nutritional quality
shelf life
storage
processed products
sustainability

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 4716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Glycine Enhances Oxidative Stress Tolerance and Biocontrol Efficacy of Sporidiobolus pararoseus against Aspergillus niger Decay of Apples

by Jiaxi Wang, Qian Gao, Tianqi Fang, Yong Shen, Siyuan Jing and Na Guo

Foods 2023, 12(22), 4121; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12224121 - 14 Nov 2023

Viewed by 713

Abstract

Apples are deeply loved by people because of their rich nutritional value, but they are susceptible to rotting. The use of antagonistic yeast is a promising method for controlling postharvest fruit diseases, but biocontrol efficacy of yeast will be weakened in environmental stress. In this study, the effects of glycine (Gly) on the oxidative stress tolerance and the biocontrol efficacy of Sporidiobolus pararoseus (S. pararoseus) against Aspergillus niger (A. niger) are discussed. Under the stimulation of H₂O₂, the yeast cells treated with Gly (1 mM) showed lower ROS content, less mitochondrial impairment and cellular oxidative damage, and the cell survival rate was significantly higher than Gly-untreated yeast. The yeast cells exposed to Gly significantly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and the content of glutathione (GSH). Notably, Gly-treated yeast cells had better biocontrol efficacy against A. niger in postharvest apples. The lesion diameter and decay incidence were reduced by 17.67 mm and 79.63% compared to the control, respectively, when S. pararoseus was treated with 1 mM Gly. Moreover, Gly-treated yeast increased the antioxidant enzymes activities and their gene expression were up-regulated in apples. These results indicated that 1 mM Gly not only reduced the oxidative damage of yeast, but also induced resistance-related enzymes of apples under oxidative stress, which contributed to enhancing the biocontrol efficacy of S. pararoseus against A. niger in apples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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12 pages, 1891 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect and Mode of Different Concentrations of Citrus Peel Extract Treatment on Browning of Fresh-Cut Sweetpotato

by Xiugui Fang, Jiahui Han, Xuefen Lou, You Lv, Yilu Zhang, Ximing Xu, Zunfu Lv and Guoquan Lu

Foods 2023, 12(20), 3855; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12203855 - 20 Oct 2023

Viewed by 916

Abstract

Browning is one of the main phenomena limiting the production of fresh-cut sweetpotatoes. This study investigated the anti-browning effect of citrus peel extracts and the key components and modes of action associated with browning in fresh-cut sweetpotatoes. Five different concentrations of citrus peel extract (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 g/L) were selected to ensure storage quality; and the physical and chemical properties of fresh-cut sweetpotato slices were analysed. A concentration of 2 g/L of citrus peel extract significantly inhibited the browning of fresh-cut sweetpotatoes. The results showed that the browning index and textural characteristics of fresh-cut sweetpotatoes improved significantly after treatment with citrus peel extract; all the citrus peel extract solutions inhibited browning to some extent compared to the control. In addition; LC-IMS-QTOFMS analysis revealed a total of 1366 components in citrus peel extract; the evaluation of citrus peel extract monomeric components that prevent browning in fresh-cut sweetpotato indicated that the components with better anti-browning effects were citrulloside, hesperidin, sage secondary glycosides, isorhamnetin and quercetin. The molecular docking results suggest that citrullosides play a key role in the browning of fresh-cut sweetpotatoes. In this study, the optimum amount of citrus peel extract concentration was found to be 2 g/L. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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20 pages, 2795 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Geographical Origin Classification of Durian (cv. Monthong) Using Near-Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy

by Kingdow Chanachot, Wanphut Saechua, Jetsada Posom and Panmanas Sirisomboon

Foods 2023, 12(20), 3844; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12203844 - 20 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4525

Abstract

The objective of this research was to classify the geographical origin of durians (cv. Monthong) based on geographical identification (GI) and regions (R) using near infrared (NIR). The samples were scanned with an FT-NIR spectrometer (12,500 to 4000 cm⁻¹). The NIR absorbance differences among samples that were collected from different parts of the fruit, including intact peel with thorns (I-form), cut-thorn peel (C-form), stem (S-form), and the applied synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE), were also investigated. Models were developed across several classification algorithms by the classification learner app in MATLAB. The models were optimized using a featured wavenumber selected by a genetic algorithm (GA). An effective model based on GI was developed using SMOTE-I-spectra with a neural network; accuracy was provided as 95.60% and 95.00% in cross-validation and training sets. The test model was provided with a testing set value of %accuracy, and 94.70% by the testing set was obtained. Likewise, the model based on the regions was developed from SMOTE-ICS-form spectra, with the ensemble classifier showing the best result. The best result, 88.00FF% accuracy by cross validation, 86.50% by training set, and 64.90% by testing set, indicates the classification model of East (E-region), Northeast (NE-region), and South (S-region) regions could be applied for rough screening. In summary, NIR spectroscopy could be used as a rapid and nondestructive method for the accurate GI classification of durians. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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14 pages, 6748 KiB

Open AccessArticle

TMT-Based Proteomic Analysis of Hannaella sinensis-Induced Apple Resistance-Related Proteins

by Qiya Yang, Xi Zhang, Dhanasekaran Solairaj, Rouling Lin, Kaili Wang and Hongyin Zhang

Foods 2023, 12(14), 2637; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12142637 - 08 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 942

Abstract

Studies on the molecular mechanism of antagonistic yeasts to control apple postharvest diseases are not comprehensive enough. Our preliminary investigations screened the biocontrol effect of Hannaella sinensis, an antagonistic yeast, and discovered its control efficacy on apple blue mold decay. However, the molecular mechanism of H. sinensis-induced resistance in apple has not been studied. In this study, proteins from apple treated with H. sinensis and sterile saline were analyzed using TMT proteomics technology. It was found that H. sinensis treatment induced the expressions of apple resistance-related proteins. Among the proteins in H. sinensis-induced apple, proteins related to plant defense mechanisms, such as reactive oxygen species scavenging, improvement of plant resistance and synthesis of resistant substances, improvement of plant disease resistance, the degradation of the pathogen cell wall, cell signaling, antibacterial activity, transport of defense-related substances, and protein processing, were differentially regulated. The results of this study revealed the underlying molecular mechanisms of H. sinensis-induced apple resistance at the protein level; the results also provided a theoretical basis for the commercial application of H. sinensis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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19 pages, 11029 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Intake of Macro and Trace Elements from Different Fresh Vegetables Taken from Timisoara Market, Romania—Chemometric Analysis of the Results

by Gabriel Heghedűș-Mîndru, Petru Negrea, Teodor Ioan Trașcă, Ducu Sandu Ștef, Ileana Cocan and Ramona Cristina Heghedűș-Mîndru

Foods 2023, 12(4), 749; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12040749 - 08 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1944

Abstract

Vegetable consumption is recommended and encouraged by all nutritionists and doctors across the planet. However, in addition to minerals which are beneficial to the body, certain minerals with a negative influence on human health can sneak in. It is very important that in the case of some minerals their content in vegetables is known, so that the recommended limits are not exceeded. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the macro elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg) and trace elements (Cu, Mn, Fe, Cd, Pb, Zn, Co) in 24 samples of vegetables from four botanical families (Solanaceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae and Amaryllidaceae), purchased from the market in Timișoara, Romania, both imported products as well as local products. The atomic-absorption-spectrometry technique (FAAS) was used to evaluate the macro elements and trace elements. The values obtained for the macro elements and trace elements were used as input data for the analysis of multivariate data, the principal component analysis (PCA) in which the vegetable samples were grouped according to their contribution of certain mineral elements, as well as according to some of the botanical families to which they belong. At the same time, based on the values obtained for trace elements, an assessment of the risk to human health in terms of consumption of the vegetables studied was carried out. The risk assessment for human health was determined on the basis of the estimated daily dose (EDI), the values of the target hazard coefficient (THQ), the values of the total target hazard coefficient (TTHQ) and the carcinogenic risk (CR). Following the determination of THQ, the values obtained followed the order THQ_With > THQ_Cd > THQ_Pb > THQ_Co > THQ_Mn > THQ_Zn > THQ_Fe. The results on the content of macro elements and trace elements, as well as the assessment of the risk to human health when consuming the assessed vegetables, were within the limits of European Union (EU) and World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO)legislation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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16 pages, 4445 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modified Atmosphere Packaging and 1-Methylcyclopropene Treatments Maintain the Fruit Quality of ‘Wonmi’ Persimmons during Export Simulation

by H. M. Prathibhani C. Kumarihami, Mi Hee Shin, Kyeong Eun Jang, Yun-Hee Kim, Kyeong Bok Ma and Jin Gook Kim

Foods 2022, 11(24), 4004; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11244004 - 11 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1124

Abstract

Persimmons are one of the most important export fruits in South Korea, where several tons are exported across the globe each year. In this study, the quality attributes of ‘Wonmi’ persimmon fruits were evaluated during an export simulation at 0 °C, 10 °C, and 24 °C with a combination of 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) treatments. The relative humidity during the export simulation was greater at room temperature (75–92%) and 0 °C (85% to 93%) than at 10 °C (42% to 60%). The results show that the application of 1-MCP and MAP treatments during the export simulation were effective in delaying the ripening of ‘Wonmi’ persimmons by reducing respiration and ethylene production. The suppressed expression of ethylene synthesis genes and cell wall modification genes reduced the ethylene production and maintain the fruit firmness, respectively. In addition, 1-MCP and MAP treatments were effective in maintaining SSC and color of ‘Wonmi’ persimmon fruits during the export simulation. Thus, by adopting these treatments, the overall quality of persimmon exports from South Korea can significantly improve. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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16 pages, 5677 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Multi-Mode Thermosonication on the Microbial Inhibition and Quality Retention of Strawberry Clear Juice during Storage at Varied Temperatures

by Min Feng, Bimal Chitrakar, Jianan Chen, Md. Nahidul Islam, Benxi Wei, Bo Wang, Cunshan Zhou, Haile Ma and Baoguo Xu

Foods 2022, 11(17), 2593; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11172593 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1456

Abstract

Strawberry juice, which is rich in nutrients and charming flavor, is favored by consumers. To explore whether multi-mode thermosonication (MTS) can ensure the quality stability of strawberry clear juice (SCJ) during storage, the effects of microbial inhibition, enzyme activity, and physicochemical properties of SCJ pretreated by MTS were evaluated during storage at 4, 25, and 37 °C in comparison with thermal pretreatment (TP) at 90 °C for 1 min. The MTS, including dual-frequency energy-gathered ultrasound pretreatment (DEUP) and flat sweep-frequency dispersive ultrasound pretreatment (FSDUP), were conducted at 60 °C for 5 and 15 min, respectively. Results showed that the total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, and DPPH free radical scavenging ability of SCJ decreased during the storage period. The control sample of SCJ was able to sage for only 7 days at 4 °C based on the microbiological quality, while the FSDUP and DEUP group extended the storage period up to 21 and 14 days, respectively. The polyphenol oxidase in SCJ pretreated by MTS did not reactivate during the storage period. The MTS remarkably (p < 0.05) reduced the color deterioration, browning degree, and nutrient degradation during the storage period. Moreover, the FSDUP group exhibited the maximum shelf life with a minimum loss of quality, demonstrating that it was the most suitable processing method for obtaining high-quality SCJ. It can be concluded that the MTS has the potential to inhibit enzymatic browning, inactivating microorganisms, preserve original quality attributes, and prolong the shelf life of SCJ. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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15 pages, 17463 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficacy of the Yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus in Biocontrol of Gray Mold Decay of Tomatoes and Study of the Mechanisms Involved

by Boen Lanhuang, Qiya Yang, Esa Abiso Godana and Hongyin Zhang

Foods 2022, 11(5), 720; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11050720 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2562

Abstract

Gray mold decay is a widespread postharvest disease in tomato that results from infection by the pathogen Botrytis cinerea, leading to huge economic losses. The objective of this study was to select the most effective antagonistic yeast to control tomato gray mold from six potential biocontrol agents and to investigate the possible control mechanism. The results showed that the yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus was the most effective in inhibiting B. cinerea among the six strains both in vivo and in vitro on tomato, with a colony diameter of 11 mm, a decay diameter of 20 mm, and the lowest decay incidence (53%)—values significantly smaller and lower than the values recorded for the control group and the other yeasts. The efficacy of the control depended on the increase in yeast concentration, and the decay incidence and lesion diameter were reduced to 31%, 28% and 7 mm, 6 mm, respectively, when treated with 1 × 10⁸ and 1 × 10⁹ cells/mL W. anomalus. In addition, W. anomalus was able to rapidly colonize and stably multiply in tomato, occupying the space to control pathogen infection. W. anomalus was also able to motivate the defense mechanism of tomato with stimulation of defense-related enzymes PPO, POD, APX, and SOD and promotion of the content of total phenols and flavonoid compounds. All these results suggest that W. anomalus exhibited exceptional ability to control gray mold in tomato. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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14 pages, 300 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Post-Harvest Quality Evaluation of “Soreli” Kiwifruit at Two Ripening °Brix Values from Vineyards of Different Age Under Hail Nets

by Claudia Grasso, Roberto Forniti and Rinaldo Botondi

Foods 2022, 11(3), 431; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11030431 - 01 Feb 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1586

Abstract

The application of anti-hail nets is a practice that has been employed for a long time on different fruit and vegetable cultivations and in different fields of the world. In this work, we checked the effects of shading with white anti-hail nets on the post-harvest quality of “Soreli” kiwifruit collected at two different °Brix (7–8 and 8–9) from vineyards of two different ages (8 and 9 years) and stored at 1 °C for 90 days. It was observed that during the storage, the firmness and color parameters (L*, a*, b*, and Chroma) and the SSC content were generally higher in kiwifruit samples harvested in open field than in those under the nets. Regarding the bioactive compounds, the open field samples showed higher values in total flavonoids content during storage, and the content of carotenoids and chlorophylls in fruits grown in open fields was higher from 30–45 days up to the end of the storage. In contrast, the polyphenols and ascorbic acid values of fruits in open fields and under the nets showed a similar evolution of the values from 45 to 60 days. In general, the early and late harvest time based on the °Brix values and the different ages of the kiwifruit plants under the nets did not affect the quality parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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Review

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25 pages, 1630 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress on Mango Post-Harvest Ripening Physiology and the Regulatory Technologies

by Bangdi Liu, Qi Xin, Min Zhang, Jianhu Chen, Qingchen Lu, Xinqun Zhou, Xiangxin Li, Wanli Zhang, Wei Feng, Haisheng Pei and Jing Sun

Foods 2023, 12(1), 173; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods12010173 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6338

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is an important tropical fruit with a delicate taste, pleasant aroma, and high nutritional value. In recent years, with the promotion of the rural revitalization strategy and the development of the poverty alleviation industry, China has gradually become an important mango producer. However, the short shelf life of mango fruit, the difficulty in regulating the postharvest quality, and the lack of preservation technology are the main problems that need to be solved in China‘s mango industry. In this paper, the physiological changes and mechanisms of mango during postharvest ripening were summarized, including sugar and acid changes, pigment synthesis and accumulation, and aroma formation and accumulation. The physical, chemical, and biological technologies (such as endogenous phytohormones, temperature, light, chemical preservatives, and edible coatings) commonly used in the regulation of mango postharvest ripening and their action principles were emphatically expounded. The shortcomings of the existing mango postharvest ripening regulation technology and physiological mechanism research were analyzed in order to provide a reference for the industrial application and development of mango postharvest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Quality of Postharvest Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: 2nd Volume)

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