Postharvest Technologies for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Developments for Loss Reduction During Handling and Storage—2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 1162

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
Interests: preservation technology and equipment for fruit and vegetable; new methods to extend the preservation period of fruit and vegetable; functional packaging materials in food preservation
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Guest Editor
Institute of Crop Breeding and Cultivation, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 201403, China
Interests: postharvest biology; postharvest technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The extent of fruit and vegetable loss reaches up to 40–50 % in some countries, and post-harvest loss of fruit and vegetables is a global problem. Thus, reducing fruit and vegetable loss is key to enabling sustainable supply in the future. A reduction in fruit and vegetable losses will require the development and implementation of novel post-harvest technologies and equipment to maintain quality during handling and storage.

In this Special Issue, we invite submissions related to post-harvest technologies, equipment, packaging, and cold chain management for fruit and vegetables. Research and review articles on the technological innovations, smart labels, functional packaging, and cold chain management relating to reductions in post-harvest losses of fresh fruit and vegetables and their mechanisms are welcome.

Dr. Hongsheng Zhou
Prof. Dr. Yongjin Qiao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • post-harvest biology
  • post-harvest technological innovations
  • innovations in equipment
  • packaging
  • smart label
  • post-harvest handling and storage
  • chain management

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 2816 KB  
Article
Phenolic Copigment-Enhanced Anthocyanin Stability and Color Intensity of Frozen Red Huajiao (Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.) Fruit
by Xin Yang, Yishan Chen, Xiao He, Jiani Liu, Shuang Xian, Shanshan Li, Xiaoyan Hou, Man Zhou, Qiang Cui, Jie Yu, Xiang Zhu, Zhiqing Zhang, Anjun Chen and Guanghui Shen
Foods 2026, 15(10), 1719; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101719 - 13 May 2026
Abstract
Anthocyanin stability substantially determines the postharvest storage quality of red Huajiao (Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.). Herein, the composition of red Huajiao anthocyanins (RHAs) was characterized, and the copigmentation performance of seven phenolic compounds with RHAs was comparatively evaluated, together with verifying their practical [...] Read more.
Anthocyanin stability substantially determines the postharvest storage quality of red Huajiao (Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.). Herein, the composition of red Huajiao anthocyanins (RHAs) was characterized, and the copigmentation performance of seven phenolic compounds with RHAs was comparatively evaluated, together with verifying their practical efficacy in maintaining the overall quality of red Huajiao during frozen storage. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis identified ten anthocyanin monomers in RHAs, among which delphinidin-3,5-diglucoside (D3,5G, 28.23%), and delphinidin-3-O-glucoside (D3G, 14.86%) were verified as the predominant monomers. Naringin (NA) exhibited an optimal copigmentation effect, achieving a maximum color enhancement rate of 19.46% at a 1:40 molar ratio and a pH of 3.0 at 20 °C, while thermodynamic tests verified the excellent stability of the naringin–RHA complex. The copigmentation interactions between RHAs and copigments were largely attributed to hydrogen bonds, π–π stacking, and alkyl hydrophobic interactions. Considering practical application cost and flavor compatibility, chlorogenic acid (CGA) was selected as the preferred alternative copigment. Frozen storage tests suggested that soaking pretreatment with 10 mmol/L CGA effectively delayed color fading and maintained the integrity of the oil gland and the good sensory quality and color attributes of red Hujiao, with no adverse impacts on its inherent flavor and numbing components. Collectively, phenolic-mediated intermolecular copigmentation represents an efficient technical means for stabilizing color and maintaining the commercial quality of postharvest red Huajiao during frozen storage. Full article
16 pages, 3079 KB  
Article
Mechanisms and Critical Thresholds of Cold Storage Duration-Modulated Postharvest Quality Deterioration in Litchi Fruit During Ambient Shelf Life
by Hai Liu, Zhili Xu, Longlong Song, Lilang Li, Yan Liao, Hui Du and Fengjun Li
Foods 2026, 15(1), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15010176 - 5 Jan 2026
Viewed by 791
Abstract
While cold storage is essential to extend the postharvest preservation of litchi fruit, the abrupt transfer to ambient temperature during supply chain transitions may trigger rapid quality degradation. However, the comprehensive mechanisms and critical threshold of post-transfer quality deterioration remain insufficiently characterized. In [...] Read more.
While cold storage is essential to extend the postharvest preservation of litchi fruit, the abrupt transfer to ambient temperature during supply chain transitions may trigger rapid quality degradation. However, the comprehensive mechanisms and critical threshold of post-transfer quality deterioration remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, litchi fruits were stored at 4 °C for 10, 20, and 30 days, followed by simulated shelf life at 25 °C. Key indicators, including appearance quality, antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation, and enzymatic oxidation, were monitored, and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine quality deterioration thresholds. Litchi subjected to 30 d of cold storage exhibited significantly accelerated pericarp browning compared to those stored for 20 d and 10 d, with the browning index increasing by 25.7% (vs. 20 d) and 41.9% (vs. 10 d), respectively, after 24 h of ambient exposure. This was accompanied by a significant impairment of the antioxidant system. Compared to the fruits stored for 10 d and 20 d, the activities of key antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and APX) were substantially decreased in the 30 d group, with reductions ranging from approximately 9% to 28%. Concurrently, the non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity also declined. Meanwhile, 30 d of storage activated the browning-related enzymes: anthocyanase and peroxidase (POD) activities increased by 1.2- to 3.6-fold, and poly-phenol oxidase (PPO) activity increased by 11% to 37%, compared to the 10 d and 20 d groups, respectively. In contrast, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity was inhibited by 56.9%. It also enhanced membrane lipid metabolism disorders, which aggravated cell structure damage and oxidative stress. For practical application, PCA identified 10 d (4 °C) + 6 h (25 °C), and 20 d (4 °C) + 12 h (25 °C) as the optimal and critical quality thresholds, respectively. This study reveals the interactive regulatory relationship between cold storage duration and ambient exposure time mediated by oxidative stress, enzymatic browning, and membrane lipid metabolism, providing a theoretical basis for developing time-temperature-quality models to reduce postharvest losses in litchi. Full article
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