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Recent Advances in Biological and Technological Research of Fresh Fruit...
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Recent Advances in Biological and Technological Research of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Third Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 May 2026) | Viewed by 5850

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Zhongqi Fan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Postharvest Technology of Agricultural Products, College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: postharvest biology; preservation of fruit and vegetable
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The first and second editions of this Special Issue were incredibly successful. (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/special_issues/IA8UA14903; https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/special_issues/VFLS3GX0U1). We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who contributed to these Special Issues for their participation and support.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are a dietary source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, but, due to their short postharvest life, a large portion of the produce is lost. It is therefore necessary to investigate the biological changes underlying ripening and senescence and find ways to control the perishability of fresh fruit and vegetables, thereby increasing their shelf life. The basic science of the ripening and senescence of these foods has progressed rapidly in recent years, largely due to a series of breakthrough discoveries that have uncovered some of the key factors and signaling pathways by which ripening- and senescence-associated genes have been set into motion. On the other hand, advanced postharvest technologies, including chemical treatment, physical methods, and biotechnology, have been widely applied to minimize postharvest loss and maintain commercial quality. The aim of this Special Issue is to gather pioneering research on the biological mechanisms of, and preservation technology for, fresh fruit and vegetables. All aspects of postharvest research throughout the supply chain will be considered, such as technologies, underpinning mechanisms, and quality evaluation.

Dr. Zhongqi Fan
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • fruit and vegetable
  • quality deterioration
  • biological mechanism
  • physiology disorder
  • preservation technology

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1928 KB  
Article
Transcriptome Analysis of Postharvest Lentinula edodes Cell Wall Metabolism During Storage Indicating a Laccase-Mediated Regulatory Network
by Yuan Gao, Qimeng Liang, Yanyan Liu, Tinging Ma, Ziwei Hou, Hongxu Zhu and Jun Huang
Foods 2026, 15(6), 1039; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15061039 - 16 Mar 2026
Viewed by 517
Abstract
Postharvest Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom) undergoes rapid textural deterioration, which is primarily driven by complex cell wall remodeling. This study investigates the physiological and transcriptomic changes in L. edodes during storage at 4 °C for 8 days. Results showed that cellulose content significantly [...] Read more.
Postharvest Lentinula edodes (shiitake mushroom) undergoes rapid textural deterioration, which is primarily driven by complex cell wall remodeling. This study investigates the physiological and transcriptomic changes in L. edodes during storage at 4 °C for 8 days. Results showed that cellulose content significantly decreased, while chitin and β-glucan levels exhibited anomalous increases, accompanied by a surge in the activities of cellulase, chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanase. Concurrently, intensifying membrane lipid peroxidation and an imbalance in reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis were observed. Transcriptomic analysis identified 2204 and 1808 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at the middle (4 d) and late (8 d) storage stages, respectively. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) identified a core module of nine key regulatory genes (VIP > 1.0), including β-glucanase, laccase, and catalase, which significantly contributed to the physiological shifts. The results suggest that an upstream ROS imbalance may contribute to the dysregulation of midstream laccases, potentially reducing the oxidative cross-linking of phenolic components and loosening the cell wall matrix. These alterations may increase the accessibility of structural polysaccharides to downstream cell wall-degrading enzymes, which could contribute to structural collapse, although functional validation is required to establish causality. These findings provide a gene-level framework for understanding postharvest edible fungi physiology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Biological and Technological Research of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Third Edition)
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14 pages, 2076 KB  
Article
EjMYB15 Improves Cold Tolerance of Postharvest Loquat Fruit via Upregulating Antioxidant Enzyme Genes
by Weiqi Liang, Jiahui Wan, Jing Lin, Yanting Wu, Wenbing Su and Zhongqi Fan
Foods 2026, 15(2), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15020301 - 14 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 550
Abstract
As cold-sensitive fruits, loquats easily develop chilling injury (CI) during cold storage, which leads to quality deterioration and economic losses. Our prior research indicated that exogenous melatonin (MT) treatment can mitigate CI in postharvest loquats by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, but [...] Read more.
As cold-sensitive fruits, loquats easily develop chilling injury (CI) during cold storage, which leads to quality deterioration and economic losses. Our prior research indicated that exogenous melatonin (MT) treatment can mitigate CI in postharvest loquats by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. The primary objective of this study is to decipher the molecular regulatory pathway by which MT alleviates CI in postharvest loquats, focusing on the role of MYB transcription factors (TFs) in modulating antioxidant enzyme genes. Here, MT treatment remarkably reduced CI severity in loquat fruits, as reflected by lower CI index, reduced cell membrane permeability, decreased firmness, lower a* and b* values, and higher L* value, compared with the control group. Moreover, a cold-induced MYB TF, designated EjMYB15, was identified. Compared to non-treated fruits, the expression level of EjMYB15 was maintained at higher levels in MT-treated loquats. Subcellular localization and transactivation assays demonstrated that EjMYB15 is a nuclear-localized transcriptional activator. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and dual-luciferase reporter (DLR) assays showed that EjMYB15 binds the MYB-binding sites (MBS) in the promoters of four antioxidant enzyme genes (EjCAT1, EjCAT2, EjGST1, and EjGST2), thereby activating their transcription. Taken together, these findings indicate that EjMYB15 positively regulates cold tolerance of loquat fruits by improving ROS scavenging capacity. These results elucidate the regulatory pathway by which MYB TFs mitigate CI and provide new theoretical support for the application of MT in alleviating CI in postharvest fruits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Biological and Technological Research of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Third Edition)
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17 pages, 4460 KB  
Article
Arginine Delays Postharvest Softening of Button Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) via Lipid Metabolism Regulation
by Dandan Xu, Lu Gao, Xiaoyan Mu, Tan Wang, Junsong Liang, Qi Wang and Qiuhong Niu
Foods 2025, 14(24), 4359; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14244359 - 18 Dec 2025
Viewed by 718
Abstract
Postharvest storage and quality maintenance represent significant constrains for the marketability and long-distance exportation of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). Protective techniques such as arginine application has been demonstrated to extend the shelf life of button mushroom. However, the underlying mechanism by [...] Read more.
Postharvest storage and quality maintenance represent significant constrains for the marketability and long-distance exportation of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). Protective techniques such as arginine application has been demonstrated to extend the shelf life of button mushroom. However, the underlying mechanism by which arginine mitigates postharvest softening in button mushroom require further elucidation. In this study, comprehensive physiology, metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses of button mushroom following arginine treatment were conducted to investigate its potential mechanisms of action. Physiological analysis showed that arginine treatment (1.5 g L−1) markedly alleviated the postharvest softening of button mushroom, resulting in a 23.8% increase in firmness, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, suppressed activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and maintained elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses demonstrated that arginine application significantly altered lipid-related metabolites, including free fatty acids, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Notably, arginine treatment increased the levels of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). Transcriptomic analysis further revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were predominantly enriched in lipid metabolism pathways following arginine treatment. Specifically, arginine application stimulated the lipid metabolism by upregulating genes associated with fatty acid desaturation (FAD), while downregulating genes related to phospholipases A2 (PLA2). These findings collectively demonstrate that arginine effectively mitigates postharvest softening of button mushroom by modulating lipid metabolism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Biological and Technological Research of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Third Edition)
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17 pages, 2802 KB  
Article
Treatment with Thyme Essential Oil Delays Loss Reductions in Postharvest Chinese Flowering Cabbage
by Daoye Chen, Minhui Li, Wenya Wu, Ling Wang, Yulong Chen and Fuwang Wu
Foods 2025, 14(21), 3704; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14213704 - 29 Oct 2025
Viewed by 886
Abstract
Leaf yellowing is the primary indicator of deterioration in the quality of Chinese flowering cabbage. In this study, Chinese flowering cabbage (Brassica rapa var. Parachinensis), a perishable, freshly cut vegetable, was treated with 0.5 ppm thyme essential oil and stored at 15 [...] Read more.
Leaf yellowing is the primary indicator of deterioration in the quality of Chinese flowering cabbage. In this study, Chinese flowering cabbage (Brassica rapa var. Parachinensis), a perishable, freshly cut vegetable, was treated with 0.5 ppm thyme essential oil and stored at 15 °C with 90% relative humidity (RH), with the aim of exploring its preservation effect. Compared with the control group, the treatment postponed the yellowing and chroma decline of leaves by 24% and 60%, respectively, inhibited the degradation of chlorophyll by 62% and the increase in relative conductivity by 62%, and sustained high contents of vitamin C (0.238 mg/g), soluble solids (8.5%), soluble sugar (2.658 mg/g), and soluble protein (5.294 mg/g) after 7 days of storage. Moreover, the rising activity of peroxidase (POD) during treatment was slowed during storage, alleviating lignification, while the activity of catalase (CAT) was dramatically enhanced in the late storage stage, avoiding oxidative damage and improving storage quality. Overall, thyme essential oil treatment significantly delayed the senescence of Chinese flowering cabbage and demonstrated considerable potential as a natural preservative. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Biological and Technological Research of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Third Edition)
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17 pages, 3870 KB  
Article
Ethephon Treatment Enhanced Postharvest Litchi Fruit Resistance to Peronophythora litchii by Strengthening Antioxidant Capacity and Defense Systems
by Difa Zhu, Tao Luo, Xiaomeng Guo, Jingyi Li, Qiao Li, Yongqi Chen, Wenbo Ou, Dongmei Han and Zhenxian Wu
Foods 2025, 14(20), 3493; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14203493 - 14 Oct 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1231
Abstract
Litchi downy blight, caused by Peronophythora litchii, is a major postharvest disease that leads to severe pericarp browning and fruit decay, significantly reducing market quality. Strengthening the fruit’s innate defense systems represents a promising strategy for minimizing these losses. This study investigated [...] Read more.
Litchi downy blight, caused by Peronophythora litchii, is a major postharvest disease that leads to severe pericarp browning and fruit decay, significantly reducing market quality. Strengthening the fruit’s innate defense systems represents a promising strategy for minimizing these losses. This study investigated the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of ethephon treatment in controlling postharvest litchi downy blight. The results showed that treatment with 400 mg·L−1 ethephon solution via a 2-min immersion significantly suppressed P. litchii infection, reduced the disease index and pericarp browning index, and enhanced the rate of ethylene production. Ethephon application notably increased 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, and the activities of key antioxidant and defense-related enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), chitinase (CHI), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). Concurrently, it up-regulated the expression of corresponding genes LcCAT, LcAPX, LcCHI, LcGLU, LcPAL. In contrast, ethephon treatment reduced the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA). In summary, ethephon treatment suppresses postharvest litchi downy blight likely through the enhancement of both antioxidant and pathogen defense capacities. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential application of ethephon for maintaining postharvest quality in litchi fruit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Biological and Technological Research of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Third Edition)
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13 pages, 1463 KB  
Article
Glycine Betaine Treatment Maintains Postharvest Quality of Hupingzao Jujube Fruit by Enhancing the Antioxidant System
by Fei Shi, Jinbin Wu, Zifan Geng, Yuqing Xing, Yulei Zhang, Zhigang Li, Tengfei Wang and Yu Wang
Foods 2025, 14(19), 3385; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14193385 - 30 Sep 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1258
Abstract
Postharvest Hupingzao jujubes are prone to softening and reddening during storage. To investigate the influence of glycine betaine on the fruit quality of cold-stored jujubes, the jujubes were immersed in a 15 mmol L−1 glycine betaine solution for 10 min, then stored [...] Read more.
Postharvest Hupingzao jujubes are prone to softening and reddening during storage. To investigate the influence of glycine betaine on the fruit quality of cold-stored jujubes, the jujubes were immersed in a 15 mmol L−1 glycine betaine solution for 10 min, then stored at 0 ± 1 °C for 100 days. The relevant physical and chemical quality indicators were determined every 20 days. The results indicated that glycine betaine treatment effectively maintained fruit firmness, reduced weight loss, slowed down the respiration rate, and lessened the redness of the fruit peel. Compared with the control group, the malondialdehyde and H2O2 contents in glycine betaine-treated fruit decreased by 26.65% and 9.04%, respectively. In addition, glycine betaine treatment elevated the contents of non-enzymatic antioxidants, including ascorbic acid, total flavonoids, total phenols, and proanthocyanidins. Meanwhile, the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase in the jujube fruit were enhanced after glycine betaine treatment. In conclusion, glycine betaine treatment preserved the quality of the jujube fruits by enhancing the antioxidant metabolism. The results establish a scientific basis for the potential application of glycine betaine in postharvest fruit preservation, providing a strategy to mitigate storage-related quality deterioration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Biological and Technological Research of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Third Edition)
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