Fruit Quality and Biochemical Characteristics During Post Harvest Storage and Processing

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: closed (10 May 2025) | Viewed by 2354

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Research Institute for Innovation & Sustainable Development in Food Chain, Campus Arrosadía, Public University of Navarre, 31006 Pamplona, Spain
Interests: fruit quality; postharvest handling; postharvest technology; storage; fresh-cut produce

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Guest Editor
European University of Lefke, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Gemikonagi, via Mersin 10, 99780 Northern Cyprus, Turkey
Interests: postharvest biology and technology; horticulture; sustainable horticulture; postharvest handling; postharvest physiology; precision agriculture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

While millions of people still suffer from severe food insecurity around the world, estimated post-harvest losses worldwide are around one-third of total production and an important contributor to climate change. In effect, it has been estimated that food waste accounts for one third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions affecting environmental, economic, and social sustainability. The main reason for this is that fruit and vegetable production demands a significant amount of labor, energy, money, time, and natural resources, most notably soil and water, which are lost together with produce.

In addition, the demand for fresh, safe, and healthy fruit has increased in recent years due to their beneficial effects on human health. However, due to their high perishability, a large amount of produce is lost, sometimes even before reaching the market, increasing food waste and losses. Moreover, postharvest management, including handling, packaging, storage, and transport, contributes significantly to the quality of the final product.

Therefore, this Special Issue intends to showcase advancements in the fields of postharvest storage and processing techniques, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Fruit biochemical alterations during post-harvest storage;
  • Cutting-edge preservation techniques and storage technologies;
  • Fruit processing quality assurance and control;
  • The health and nutritional advantages of processed fruits;
  • Sustainable methods for managing and storing food after harvest.

Dr. Sandra Horvitz
Dr. İbrahim Kahramanoğlu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • postharvest quality control
  • biochemical changes
  • postharvest processing techniques
  • shelf-life extension
  • innovative technologies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 19816 KiB  
Article
Ethylene-Induced Postharvest Changes in Five Chinese Bayberry Cultivars Affecting the Fruit Ripening and Shelf Life
by Mostafa Saeed, Lan Zhao, Ahmed K. Rashwan, Ahmed I. Osman, Zhuyun Chen, Guoyun Wang, Chaochao Zhou, Ting Tu, Ahmed Alabd, Yun Jiao and Zhongshan Gao
Horticulturae 2024, 10(11), 1144; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10111144 - 28 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1763
Abstract
Ethylene is an essential indicator of fruit ripening and climacteric or non-climacteric nature. This study investigated the postharvest behavior of five Chinese bayberry cultivars ‘Biqi’, ‘Dongkui’, ‘Fenhong’, ‘Xiazhihong’, and ‘Shuijing’. The fruits were harvested mature and stored at room temperature (25 °C) and [...] Read more.
Ethylene is an essential indicator of fruit ripening and climacteric or non-climacteric nature. This study investigated the postharvest behavior of five Chinese bayberry cultivars ‘Biqi’, ‘Dongkui’, ‘Fenhong’, ‘Xiazhihong’, and ‘Shuijing’. The fruits were harvested mature and stored at room temperature (25 °C) and under cold storage conditions (4 °C) to investigate the dynamics of ethylene production, firmness, anthocyanin content, and cell wall polysaccharide composition, as well as basic fruit physicochemical characteristics. The results show that Chinese bayberry is a climacteric fruit with ethylene production peaking shortly after harvest, especially at room temperature. Fruit color intensified over time due to anthocyanin accumulation, particularly in the flesh core. Darker cultivars produced more ethylene, which correlated with higher anthocyanin levels. At room temperature, ‘Biqi’ (black) had the highest ethylene production (4.03 µL·kg−1·h−1) and anthocyanin content (0.91 mg/g FW), while ‘Shuijing’, the white cultivar, had the lowest ethylene levels (1.9 µL·kg−1·h−1) and anthocyanin content (0.03 mg/g FW). Firmness significantly decreased at room temperature due to the degradation of hemicellulose and insoluble pectin, whereas cold storage mitigates this effect. After 3 days at room temperature, the average of firmness decreased by 23.7% in the five cultivars, compared to 12.7% under cold storage. Total soluble solids increase during storage, enhancing sweetness, especially at room temperature, with ‘Biqi’ increasing from 9.2 to 10.9% at 4 °C. Titratable acidity slightly decreased over time: the value for ‘Biqi’ decreased from 1.2% to 0.95% at room temperature and 1.1% at 4 °C. Citric, malic, and tartaric acid generally declined at room temperature but stabilized under cold storage. Sucrose, fructose, and glucose increased or remained stable, with significant varietal differences. Our results indicate that storing Chinese bayberry at 4 °C effectively preserves its quality and extends postharvest life. These findings underscore ethylene’s key role in regulating ripening, postharvest quality, and shelf life by influencing fruit color, firmness, and overall consumer appeal. Full article
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