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Horticulturae
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Recent Advances in the Postharvest and Processing Technologies of Horticultural...
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Recent Advances in the Postharvest and Processing Technologies of Horticultural Crops: New Perspectives and Applications

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Postharvest Biology, Quality, Safety, and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 October 2025 | Viewed by 5122

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vitalijs Radenkovs

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Processing and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Horticulture, Graudu Str. 1, LV-3701 Dobele, Latvia
Interests: apples; biopolymers; by-products; edible coating; enzymatic hydrolysis; GC-MS; hydroxycinnamates; LC-MS; lipophilic compounds; polyphenols; storage; vitamins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dalija Seglina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Processing and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Horticulture, Graudu Str. 1, LV-3701 Dobele, Latvia
Interests: by-products; development of new products; fruit and vegetable processing technologies; nutritional value
Dr. Karina Juhnevica-Radenkova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Processing and Biochemistry Department, Institute of Horticulture, Graudu Str. 1, LV-3701 Dobele, Latvia
Interests: 1-methylcyclopropene treatment; controlled atmosphere; fruit and berry storage; quality criteria; sensory evaluation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horticultural products are regarded as highly perishable by nature. The effectiveness of diverse strategies and technological know-how in diminishing losses during postharvest has been frequently reported on, allowing for choosing the most reliable technology to retain the quality of products. They also include more resistant fruit and vegetable varieties, integrated crop management systems and postharvest handling practices to maintain quality and ensure the safety of horticultural crops. The future is advancing toward new, more market-oriented systems, where scientists and industry join forces to seek management solutions for horticulture product loss along the field-to-fork supply chain. Fruit and vegetable processing is another approach that makes it possible to ensure that consumers' needs are met with horticultural-based products within an entire year. However, inappropriate processing, handling, storage and distribution can substantially lower the nutritional value of the produce. Therefore, the issue of developing new processing technology or optimizing the already existing technology is another subject to be addressed.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to introduce the most recent advancements in postharvest practices, addressing the handling, transportation and temperature control for crops after harvest. Pre-processing and storage technology, suitability of varieties for storage and processing, quality requirements and evaluation criteria, and logistic solutions are integral measures necessary to consider for the longer preservation of horticultural crops postharvest.

Dr. Vitalijs Radenkovs
Dr. Dalija Seglina
Dr. Karina Juhnevica-Radenkova
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. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2200 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 treatment
  • losses
  • postharvest
  • quality
  • shelf-life
  • storage

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 8972 KiB  
Article
Changes in Physical Attributes, Activities of Fruit Softening Enzymes, Cell Wall Polysaccharides and Fruit Quality of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) as Influenced by Maturation and Ripening
by Jashanpreet Kaur, Zora Singh, Muhammad Sohail Mazhar, Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib Shah and Andrew Woodward
Horticulturae 2024, 10(12), 1264; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10121264 - 28 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1265
Abstract
Changes in physicochemical parameters, fruit softening enzymes and cell wall polysaccharides at four different maturation stages were investigated in two jackfruit genotypes (‘Accession 242’, ‘Accession 341’). For the first three maturity stages, fruit were harvested at 90, 110, and 130 days after flowering [...] Read more.
Changes in physicochemical parameters, fruit softening enzymes and cell wall polysaccharides at four different maturation stages were investigated in two jackfruit genotypes (‘Accession 242’, ‘Accession 341’). For the first three maturity stages, fruit were harvested at 90, 110, and 130 days after flowering (Stage I, II and III, respectively), while Stage IV was determined based on the presence of a dull hollow tapping sound. The fruit edible portion and seed percentage increased, whilst the core and rag percentage decreased with advancement in fruit maturation and ripening. The fruit harvested at Stage IV had comparatively higher soluble solids content (SSC), ascorbic acid and flavonoids, along with lower titratable acidity (TA) and phenolics, than other maturity stages. Bulb firmness was higher at Stage I in both genotypes, along with higher total pectin, protopectin and cellulose compared to other maturity stages. The activity of cell wall hydrolases was higher during later maturity stages. Fruit harvested at Stage IV had higher edible portions, carotenoids, flavonoids and SSC, as well as better colour attributes, while those harvested at Stage I exhibited higher phenolics, TA, pectin and cellulose. These findings could serve as a baseline for future research related to the intended use and maturity standardisation of jackfruit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Postharvest and Processing Technologies of Horticultural Crops: New Perspectives and Applications)
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28 pages, 5022 KiB  
Article
Biochemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Dried Fruit Produced from Apricot Cultivars Grown in Latvia
by Karina Juhnevica-Radenkova, Inta Krasnova, Dalija Seglina, Edite Kaufmane, Ilze Gravite, Anda Valdovska and Vitalijs Radenkovs
Horticulturae 2024, 10(3), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10030205 - 22 Feb 2024
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2559
Abstract
The present study focused on evaluating the biochemical profiles of four apricot cultivars (cv.) (Prunus armeniaca L.) grown in Latvia and demonstrating their processing to obtain the food product, dried candied fruit (DCF). The fingerprinting of apricot fruit approached by LC-MS and ultraviolet–visible [...] Read more.
The present study focused on evaluating the biochemical profiles of four apricot cultivars (cv.) (Prunus armeniaca L.) grown in Latvia and demonstrating their processing to obtain the food product, dried candied fruit (DCF). The fingerprinting of apricot fruit approached by LC-MS and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy revealed the abundance of bioactives responsible for the antioxidant activity. The outstanding composition of group compounds, i.e., phenolics, flavonoids, and vitamin C, was observed in the cv. ‘Dimaija’, followed by cv. ‘Gundega’ and cv. ‘Velta’. The lowest values were found in the cv. ‘Boriss’ and fruit from a market of Greek origin. However, the latter two contained the highest carotenoid levels due to a more pronounced maturity. Amongst the 13 individual phenolics detected, rutin, chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids, catechin, and epicatechin prevailed. The concentrations observed were the highest in cv. ‘Dimaija’, followed by cv. ‘Velta’ and cv. ‘Gundega’. Osmotic dehydration and convective drying of apricot fruit variedly influenced the content of bioactives in DCF products. The most substantial decrease due to thermal lability was observed in the vitamin C content in DCF, accounting for a 95.3% loss for all cultivars. The content of total phenolics, flavonoids, and carotenoids in DCF, on average, was 62.7%, 49.6%, and 87.6% lower than that observed in the raw fruit, respectively. On average, the content of individual phenolics in DCF, such as rutin and chlorogenic acid, decreased by 63.8% and 20.8%, respectively. The decline in the content of bioactives was conditioned by the physical migration of the cell components to the hypertonic solution. However, the increase in the content of cell wall-bound phytochemicals, such as catechin and epicatechin, after osmotic dehydration and convective drying, was observed in DCF, corresponding to a 59.5% and 255.64% increase compared with the raw fruit, respectively. Panelists generally responded positively to the developed DCF; however, greater preference was given to products with a lower phenolic content, such as cv. ‘Boriss’ and those produced from the market fruit. It is believed that the high flavan-3-ols content, along with chlorogenic acid, contributed to the bitter taste of DCF. Overall, apricot fruits represent the abundance of bioactives retained in DCF after osmotic dehydration and convective drying. The findings observed in the current study allow to consider DCF as a functional food; however, given the high sugar content, their consumption should be in moderation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Postharvest and Processing Technologies of Horticultural Crops: New Perspectives and Applications)
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