Search Results (9)

Supplying fresh produce that meets consumers’ needs necessitates production of robust fruit and vegetables. However, supply chains can struggle to deliver robust produce, especially for delicate leafy vegetables. Interacting preharvest genetic, environment, and management factors influence product robustness at harvest, with subsequent implications for perishability, including food safety. Fresh produce quality typically cannot be improved after harvest. This review explores preharvest interventions to optimize robustness at harvest. It overviews conventional, new, and emerging strategies. It considers mineral nutrient management along with chemical and physical elicitors. It also explores approaches to measure and monitor fresh fruit and vegetable robustness, particularly hyperspectral technologies. Recommendations are proffered for future research towards enhanced fresh produce robustness, particularly leafy vegetables, through preharvest management. Optimizing robustness is fundamental to efficient, effective, and sustainable fresh produce supply chain management, thereby contributing to food security and consumer satisfaction and wellbeing. Full article

Despite the increasing concerns regarding meeting the world’s future food demand, there is still a substantial quantity of food loss and waste (FLW), particularly concerning fruits and vegetables. In the case of Kermanshah province, inefficiencies within the leafy vegetable supply chpain (LVSC) contribute to an alarming annual waste of 39% of leafy vegetables. Although several studies have proposed strategies and recommendations for mitigating this waste, the actual impact of these interventions on reducing FLW has not been thoroughly examined or quantified. Using System Dynamic Modeling, this study offers a novel approach to quantify the impact of interventions on waste reduction. The quantification results reveal four key interventions reducing vegetable waste at the production stage: biotic (31.2%) and abiotic stress control (14.4%), improved educational services (23.2%), and access to quality inputs (15.2%). Furthermore, the results suggest that early-stage factors in the LVSC play a crucial role in determining waste accumulation in later stages. Improvements in packaging facilities and cold supply chain infrastructure, along with better coordination and information sharing among stakeholders at the market stage, significantly help reduce waste. Additionally, effective planning for household food shopping is emphasized as a crucial strategy for minimizing waste at the consumption stage. This holistic approach focuses on the interconnectedness of actions across various stages of the supply chain and their combined effect on decreasing the overall waste of leafy vegetables. Full article

Leafy vegetables are among the potential foods that can combat food insecurity in developing countries. Their major drawback is a short shelf life, which limits their supply chain and is commonly associated with their high metabolic activities. Leafy vegetables have a high water content, which determines their freshness. Moisture loss through respiration and transpiration at postharvest storage is one quality attribute that leads to rapid quality deterioration. Little has been carried out in studying the mechanisms associated with the quality deterioration of leafy vegetables; however, understanding these mechanisms may aid in developing effective preservation measures. Furthermore, recent literature reviews that focus on discussing the mechanisms that lead to quality loss in leafy vegetables are scarce. The current paper aims to review the physiological and biochemical processes associated with quality deterioration in leafy vegetables. The respiration, ethylene production, moisture loss, colour, and texture are highly associated with the quality deterioration of fresh produce and, thus will be discussed critically in selected leafy vegetables, namely: broccoli and Swiss chard. The findings from this review indicate that the quality deterioration in leafy vegetables is primarily enzymatic. Understanding the mechanisms of quality deterioration involves identifying the specific enzymes responsible for each metabolic process and examining the internal and external factors that influence enzyme activities. Full article

Contamination of leafy greens with Staphylococcus spp. can occur at various supply chain stages, from farm to table. This study comprehensively analyzes the species diversity, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence factors of Staphylococci in salad vegetables from markets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A total of 343 salad items were sampled from three major cities in the UAE from May 2022 to February 2023 and tested for the presence of Staphylococcus spp. using standard culture-based methods. Species-level identification was achieved using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using the VITEK-2 system with AST-P592 cards. Additionally, whole genome sequencing (WGS) of ten selected isolates was performed to characterize antimicrobial resistance determinants and toxin-related virulence factors. Nine Staphylococcus species were identified in 37.6% (129/343) of the tested salad items, with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) dominating (87.6% [113/129]) and S. xylosus being the most prevalent (89.4% [101/113]). S. aureus was found in 4.6% (14/343) of the salad samples, averaging 1.7 log10 CFU/g. One isolate was confirmed as methicillin-resistant S. aureus, harboring the mecA gene. It belonged to multi-locus sequence type ST-672 and spa type t384 and was isolated from imported fresh dill. Among the characterized S. xylosus (n = 45), 13.3% tested positive in the cefoxitin screen test, and 6.6% were non-susceptible to oxacillin. WGS analysis revealed that the cytolysin gene (cylR2) was the only toxin-associated factor found in S. xylosus, while a methicillin-sensitive S. aureus isolate harbored the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (LukSF/PVL) gene. This research is the first to document the presence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus in the UAE food chain. Furthermore, S. xylosus (a coagulase-negative staphylococcus not commonly screened in food) has demonstrated phenotypic resistance to clinically relevant antimicrobials. This underscores the need for vigilant monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial contaminants, whether pathogenic or commensal, at the human-food interface. Full article

Chlorophylls play a crucial role in photosynthesis and are abundantly found in green fruits and vegetables that form an integral part of our diet. Although limited, existing studies suggest that these photosynthetic pigments and their derivatives possess therapeutic properties. These bioactive molecules exhibit a wide range of beneficial effects, including antioxidant, antimutagenic, antigenotoxic, anti-cancer, and anti-obesogenic activities. However, it is unfortunate that leafy materials and fruit peels often go to waste in the food supply chain, contributing to the prevailing issue of food waste in modern societies. Nevertheless, these overlooked materials contain valuable bioactive compounds, including chlorophylls, which offer significant health benefits. Consequently, exploring the potential of these discarded resources, such as utilizing them as functional food ingredients, aligns with the principles of a circular economy and presents exciting opportunities for exploitation. Full article

Many indigenous foods are nutrient-rich but are often underutilized even among populations at high risk of malnutrition. The aims of this study were to conduct value chain analysis of one cultivated crop (finger millet among the Munda tribe) and one wild green leafy vegetable (Koinaar leaves among the Sauria Paharia tribe) of two Indigenous communities in Jharkhand state, India and to identify entry points for interventions aimed at supporting production and consumption. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders among each tribal group and transcripts were open coded and organized based on key themes across the steps of the value chain for each food independently. Improved storage techniques and infrastructure, machinery for processing and improved cooking fuel would help reduce barriers across the finger millet supply chain related to postharvest losses, processing labor and safety concerns related to cooking. For Koinaar leaves, improving drying techniques to increase consumption across seasons and providing training and support to increase opportunities for selling leaves in local markets, where participants mentioned potential language barriers, could strengthen the supply chain. Improving extension services and focusing beyond production has potential to improve the production and consumption of both nutrient-rich crops among Indigenous communities in India. Full article

Fresh-cut leafy vegetable has an image as a healthy, nutritious, and delicious product. However, the product still faces the challenge of quality retention and short shelf life, especially in tropical climate regions. Enzymatic browning in fresh-cut leafy vegetables is considered one of the most important attributes limiting the shelf life of the product. The hurdle approach using commercial vacuum precooling in combination with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) as an alternative to the use of chemical preservatives to prevent enzymatic browning, an undesirable attribute that is easily detected by consumers, was investigated. The hurdle technology exhibited synergistic effects on fresh-cut lettuce, namely frillice iceberg, romaine, and red oak, in slowing down cut-surface browning, maintaining quality, delaying microbial growth, and extending shelf life of salad products at the retail level. The findings of the study verified the potential of the hurdle approach in delaying the effect of cutting as well as extending shelf life of the product stored at 4 ± 1 °C with 85% RH from three days to nine days with an additional unit cost of 1.05%. Therefore, our hurdle approach is anticipated as the practice with non-chemical and economical approach in the supply chain of the fresh-cut, leafy vegetables industry. Full article

Over the most recent couple of years, the Internet of Things and other empowering innovations have been logically utilized for digitizing the vegetable supply chain (VSC). Background: The unpredictable examples and complexity inserted in enormous data dimensions present a test for an orderly human master examination. Hence in an information-driven setting, soft computing (SC) has accomplished critical energy to investigate, mine, and concentrate confidential information data, or tackle complex improvement issues, finding some harmony between good productivity and maintainability of vegetable supply frameworks. Methods: This paper presents a new and diverse scientific classification of VSC issues from the SC methodology. It characterizes VSC issues and sorts them in light of how they be demonstrated according to the SC perspective. Moreover, we examine the SC methodologies commonly utilized in each phase of the VSC and their related classes of issues. Accordingly, there is an issue in distinguishing and characterizing VSC issues according to a more extensive point of view, enveloping the different SC strategies that can apply in various phases (from creation to retailing), and recognizing the issues that emerge in these phases according to the SC viewpoint. Results: We likewise acquaint some rules with the assistance of VSC analysts and specialists to settle on appropriate strategies while resolving specific issues they could experience. Even though a few latest examinations have arranged the SC writing in this field, they are situated towards a solitary group of SC strategies (a gathering of techniques that share standard qualities) and survey their application in VSC phases. Conclusions: We have suggested a novel approach and complete scientific classification of vegetable supply chain concerns about soft computing. We present a view of three delegate supply chains: cruciferous vegetables, dark green leafy vegetables, and tomatoes. We assembled the scientific type in light of different parts to arrange vegetable supply chain issues as per how they can be demonstrated utilizing soft computing methodologies. Full article

The economic potential of African leafy vegetables (ALVs) remains obscured by a poorly developed value chain. This scoping review assembled and examined scattered knowledge generated on ALVs across southern Africa, focusing on production, processing, marketing, and consumption. Two electronic databases (Scopus and Web of Science) were screened, and a total of 71 relevant studies were included and evaluated. The review provides a state of the art on knowledge related to utilisation of ALVs across the entire value chain. The findings show that functional properties are of prime importance in the production and consumption of ALVs. However, the lack of improved germplasm and a non-existent seed supply system are significant production bottlenecks. Pests and diseases affecting the productivity of ALVs remain mostly unexplored. Sun-drying and boiling were the most reported post-harvest processing methods, suggesting that traditional processing methods are still prominent. Many studies also confirmed the predominance of informal markets in the trading of ALVs as they fail to penetrate formal markets because of poor product positioning and exclusion from produce demand and supply forecasts. The inception of cultivar development, mechanised processing methods, and market linkages will enhance the profitability of ALVs in the region. This review enhances the gaining of insight into the state of different value chain components will assist in upscaling production, value addition of products, and enhance marketing efficiency. There is a great opportunity for basic and applied research into ALVs. Full article