Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) has a short shelf life and its storability varies greatly among different cultivars. In this study, four litchi cultivars of different storability were used to investigate the possible roles of microRNAs and their targets in litchi fruit senescence. Slower pericarp browning in ‘Jingganghongnuo’ and ‘Huaizhi’ was observed compared with that in ‘Guiwei’ and ‘Nuomici’,

‘Shatangju’ (Citrus reticulate) is a popular mandarin that easily develop vesicle drying, which is one of the most common internal physiological disorders of citrus fruit. The vesicle drying occurred firstly in the peel-side of the segment of ‘Shatangju’ fruit, and then the juice sac shrank gradually with the development of the syndrome, which finally resulted in the collapse and hollowing of the segments

Pears are one of the most essential fruit worldwide, they are susceptible to Penicillium expansum infection during postharvest storage, which results in high economic losses. Due to the dearth of information involving the mechanisms of infection of P. expansum in pear fruit it is very important to clarify its pathogenicity. In this study, the fungus strain was isolated from rotten pears and identified

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) is one of the most important annuals grown for cut flowers, but its vase life in water is relatively short. In this study, the effects of nanosilver (NS) on the vase life of cut snapdragon and effects on physiology, biochemical and morphology levels were investigated. Xylem vessel blockages started to appear soon after harvest. NS prevented tylose formation, but not

The objective of this research was to measure the changes of optical properties and quality or microstructural properties of peaches during fungal infection, and classify the fungal infected peaches based on the optical parameters. Spectra of the absorption (μa) and reduced scattering coefficients (μs') over 600-1000 nm for healthy and fungal infected peaches over a period of four days were measured

The cucumber is one of the most important consumer vegetables, and due to high freshness and appearance standards, it must be graded according to quality. One key metric for grading cucumbers is curvature (arch height) relative to length. To date, this classification standard has not been implemented in a commercial automatic system because the curvature of the cucumber is related to its length. This

In this study, the impact of high oxygen atmospheric packaging (HOAP) on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production, and on the content of hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, and protein accumulation in Chinese flowering cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino) was assessed by using air packages as a control. The results showed that HOAP efficiently reduced the H2O2 levels in the stem of Chinese

Active packaging including encapsulated essential oils (EOs) may highly increase the shelf life of horticultural products due to the higher antimicrobial activity of EOs in the vapour phase through a controlled release from the packaging. In that sense, the aim of the present study was to study the effects of an active packaging (a cardboard box including a βcyclodextrin (βCD) inclusion complex with

Wound healing ability of potato tubers depends on cultivar. However, there are few researches on the wound healing dynamics of different potato cultivars and reports at biochemical and cellular level. In this study, the healing ability among four major potato cultivars, ‘Atlantic’, ‘Shepody’, ‘Desiree’ and ‘Favorite’ is compared after wounding the tubers artificially. The results indicated that during

Excess solar irradiation is responsible for commercially significant annual losses of apple fruit, and those losses are expected to increase in the majority of the world’s apple production regions. Losses are not limited to the orchard but are also represented by disorders that develop in the cold chain such as sunscald and elevated lenticel damage. Similarly, metabolism during storage would reflect

This work aimed to study the effects of the refrigerated storage of blackberries in high O2 and high CO2 atmospheres (70 kPa O2 + 20 kPa CO2 and 90 kPa O2 + 10 kPa CO2) on the quality and bioactive potential. Fruit stored in 90 kPa O2 + 10 kPa CO2 controlled the microorganism growth better than in 70 kPa O2 + 20 kPa CO2 until the end of storage (18 and 15 d, respectively). Both atmospheres were better

This study examined the non-destructive assessment of chilling injury in Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis ‘Zesy002’ kiwifruit by means of visible – near infrared interactance spectroscopy. Chilling injury is a physiological disorder which may develop when kiwifruit are stored at commercial storage temperature of 0−1 °C. Symptoms may include a granular appearance, corky outer pericarp and water-soaked

Growth regulators are widely used by apple growers, however there is few information about the effect on fruit stored under new dynamic controlled atmosphere. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), isolated and combined, on the quality and volatile organic compounds profile of ‘Royal Gala’ apples at harvest and after 9 months

Optical imaging techniques have gained wide attention for quality detection of agricultural and food products. In this work, the non-destructive ability of the laser-light backscattering imaging technique (LLBI) for monitoring and classifying the quality changes of sweet potatoes under different storage conditions was investigated. Freshly-harvested sweet potato root samples were stored at 5 °C, 15

Carotenoid level in fruit changes dynamically in response to storage condition, however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we investigated the carotenoid profiles and associated gene expression to reveal its responses to different storage temperature (20 °C and 4 °C) in two kiwifruit cultivars, bright-yellow-fleshed Jinshi 1 and pale-yellow-fleshed Jinyan. At harvest, four main carotenoids

Apple fruit quality is strongly influenced by the interplay between juiciness and texture. To better decipher the complexity underneath the control of such quality traits, a multidisciplinary approach combining the mechanic and acoustic profiling of texture, juice analysis, cell morphology, sensory and genetic analysis was carried out. The analyses were conducted after 1.5 months of cold storage on

Pak choi (Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis) is a popular, yet highly perishable, leafy vegetable that is conventionally stored in the dark or shade. In this study, we analyzed the effects of light quality, light intensity, and irradiation duration on its postharvest senescence at 20 °C. Red light most strongly inhibited its senescence as shown by slower loss of photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm ratio) and

The presence of pathogens in fresh-cut fruits represents a risk for the public health since these products generally do not receive any further treatment before consumption. In this study, a Lactobacillus pentosus MS031 was isolated from Sichuan Paocai with broad antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens. Antimicrobial peptides produced by the L. pentosus MS031 had broad activity and resistance

The enzymatic browning of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a main cause of postharvest quality loss, and is controlled by the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). However, effective browning inhibitors that prevent lettuce butt discoloration have not been commercially developed, so the effects of such inhibitors on PAL are largely unknown. Here, we not only developed an anti-browning treatment,

The vase life of industrial cut flowers is relatively short and hence seeking eco-friendly strategies to extend its commercially needed. This research was consequently undertaken to study either moringa leaf extract (MLE) or moringa seed extract (MSE) can be applied as a natural preservative to prolong the vase life of cut roses. Both applications were selected and tested because they are natural and

The objective of this study was to determine the dominant microorganism in Agaricus bisporus fruiting bodies (ABFB) and to develop kinetic models to describe its growth. The variation in microflora composition in ABFB stored at 4 °C during storage was studied using 16S rDNA sequence analyses. ABFB presented complex microbial communities at the initial stage of storage (day 0), with the dominant microorganisms

The assessment of dry matter content (DMC) as a surrogate for oil content of single olive fruit was considered in terms of spatial variation in DMC, optimisation of spectral pre-treatments, wavelength range and calibration transfer procedure. There was no consistent variation in DMC from apical to distal end of the fruit. Short wave near infrared spectra (to 1100 nm) were acquired of single fruit using

Postharvest heat treatment stimulates desiccation and browning of outer scales of onion (Allium cepa. L) bulb to dry papery skins. Inner scales resist the heat treatment, as evidenced by high moisture levels. During heating, inner scales showed increasing soluble sugar levels followed by higher osmolarity, vs. a dramatic decrease in both in the outer scales. Exogenous feeding of outer scales with sucrose

MAP can maintain the storage life of products and thereby reduce food losses. However, the benefits of MAP for reducing losses is not well quantified, especially in relation with practices in the postharvest chain. This paper proposes an innovative approach, at the intersection between the domains of food engineering, social sciences and humanities and computer science to quantify the real benefit

This study aimed to prolong the shelf life of fresh-cut artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) bottoms under refrigerated conditions (2 °C and 95 % RH) for a period of 9 d. Fresh artichoke bottoms were subjected to an edible coating of Cordia myxa gum (Cg) supplemented with or without calcium dichloride (CaCl2) 1 %, or ascorbic acid (AsA) 1 %. The key postharvest quality parameters which were investigated

The feasibility of using visible and near infrared full transmittance hyperspectral imaging for predicting soluble solids content (SSC) in oranges has been assessed. A combination of competitive adaptive reweighted sampling and successive projections algorithm (CARS-SPA) was used to select the effective wavelengths. Size of fruit was used as a compensation factor to establish a calibration model coupled

Superficial scald, which appears as black or brown necrotic patches on the skin, is a serious postharvest physiological disorder of pear fruit. The occurrence of scald in ‘Chili’ pear (Pyrus bretschneideri) fruit during storage at 2 °C in response to preharvest polyethylene (PE) bagging and non-woven fabric bagging has been investigated. The non-woven fabric bagging treatment of fruit prevented scald

Vis-NIR spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging are useful tools for citrus quality evaluation in postharvest grading lines. The bulk optical properties (BOP) of citrus tissues determine the interaction of light with citrus fruit, and thereby influence the measured spectral signal. Therefore, knowledge about the BOP of citrus tissues is important for the improvement of spectral techniques and interpretation

Rocket salad species (Diplotaxis tenuifolia and Eruca sativa; also known as E. vesicaria) are known for their high concentrations of health-related isothiocyanates, which are derived from secondary metabolites called glucosinolates. Increases in temperature due to climate change and extreme weather event frequencies over the coming decades are likely to influence not only the growth of leafy vegetables

Carvacrol (CVR) is an essential oil and has been reported to exhibit significant inhibitory effects against a wide range of microorganisms. Anthracnose, which is caused by Colletotrichum fructicola is one of the most serious postharvest diseases in pitaya fruit. In this study, we investigate the inhibitory effect of CVR against C. fructicola and elucidate the possible modes of action. The results from

As an important post-translational modification, protein ubiquitination is proven to be involved in plant resistance to pathogens. Postharvest diseases on fruit caused by fungal pathogens lead to huge economic losses worldwide, but fruit resistance remains relatively unexplored compared with well-studied leaf resistance and nothing is currently known ubiquitination in fruit resistance. Here, we report

This study presents the development of a spatially resolved transmittance system for detecting internal rots in onions, particularly small and localised rots. A two-wavelength classifier was chosen by considering sensitivities to rots and path-length variations. Near-infrared spectroscopy transmittance measurements were carried out on rot-affected onions, to determine wavelength sensitivities to the

This review considers applications of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in context of postharvest decision support, as opposed to an assessment of NIRS technology, per se. Two ‘generations’ of use are discussed, the first involving the direct assessment of chemical or physical attributes related to postharvest quality at the time of assessment, and the second involving the forward prediction of a postharvest

Melatonin (MT) functions as an important bio-active molecule in diverse physiological processes in higher plants. In the present study the role of MT in modulating ripening and softening in relation to ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) biosyntheses in stored mango fruit was evaluated. The results showed that application of MT (0.5 mM, immersion for 1 h) to ‘Guifei’ mangoes effectively delayed the changes

The relationship between optical properties and tissue structure of firmness has been investigated. The light absorption (absorption coefficient, μa) and scattering properties (reduced scattering coefficient, μ’s) of ‘Baifeng’ and ‘Xiahui 8’ peaches were acquired using a single integrating sphere (SIS) system combined with an inversion algorithm over a 6 d period at 20 °C. The relationship of μa and

Edible coatings have been used as a medium for the incorporation of functional compounds and biocontrol agents to postharvest diseases control on fruits and to maintain their quality parameters. However, there are few reports about the use of biocontrol agents entrapped in polymeric matrices; to our knowledge, there is no report of their application to anthracnose control in avocado fruit. Hence the

In recent years, radio frequency (RF) dielectric heating has been increasingly studied as a promising novel disinfestation method for agricultural commodities, especially dried fruit. Three-dimensional multiphysics-based models have been established with a commercial finite element (FE) simulation package (COMSOL Multiphysics) to analyze the RF disinfestation process of dried apricots by defining six

Brown marmorated stinkbug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is an insect pest of concern to certain countries that import vehicles and shipping containers from the USA. Adult BMSB contained in gas-permeable cages were fumigated with sulfuryl fluoride in laboratory-scale chambers at 10.0 ± 0.5 °C (x¯±2s), across a range of applied doses and treatment durations. Sulfuryl fluoride exposures, expressed

Harvesting quality is a latent concept that is often summarised by several attributes, which in turn may be described as complex parameters due to their multicomponent structure. Multivariate techniques such as Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) and Partial least square (PLS) analysis represent suitable tools to investigate quality indices as they are able to compute systems of composite indicators, providing

Although cantaloupes are extremely popular fruits, they are prone to easy decay and present potential vehicles for foodborne disease transmission. This study examined the effects of different doses of ozone treatments on the postharvest quality of cantaloupes during storage. These results revealed that cantaloupe subjected to the appropriate dose of ozone (15.008 mg m−3) displayed lower respiration

The relationship between bruise susceptibility and internal damage energy with impact velocity has been investigated using two pear cultivars. Bruise susceptibility of both pear cultivars increased with the increasing impact velocity, stabilizing at the highest impact velocity of 3 cm3 J−1. Internal damage energy also increased with higher impact velocity. The internal damage energy was close to 0

Temperature impacts the extent of H bonding in water and thus impacts near infrared (NIR) spectra of fruit and influences the robustness of models between spectra and attributes such as dry matter content (DMC). Temperature correction methods including external parameter orthogonalisation (EPO), generalised least square weighting (GLSW), bias correction, repeatability file, calibration wavelength optimization

The potential application of laser biospeckle imaging technique and its methods of image processing to detect chilling and freezing disorders in orange was assessed. Four temperature treatments were applied to fruits for 16 h including no chilling and freezing, chilled at 1 °C, placed in freezer at −7 °C, and placed in freezer at −20 °C, respectively to simulate sound, chilled, moderate freezing, and

Proper postharvest temperature management is required to maintain the quality of fresh fruit such as pears. Understanding and evaluating the cooling process is crucial. In this context, numerical modelling techniques such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can provide complementary insights to experimental measurements. Fruit come in a variety of shapes that are also cultivar-dependent. In this

Tea tree oil (TTO) inclusion complexes were prepared by co-precipitation with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). After the complexation protocol was optimized using response surface methodology, the physicochemical and anti-fungal properties of the TTO-β-CD inclusion complex were investigated. The optimal complexation time (4 h), temperature (62 °C), and β-CD/TTO mass ratio (7), provided a TTO complexation efficiency

A three-compartment non-equilibrium gas transport model of ‘Conference’ pear fruit under controlled atmosphere (CA) storage was developed. The model fruit tissue consists of cells, in which the concentrations of respiratory gasses can show gradients, and intercellular space, in which gasses are uniformly distributed. Non-equilibrium of gas concentrations in the cell compartment and intercellular space