Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life Management

Once a fruit is harvested, a race begins between the biological processes driving ripening and the practical need to deliver edible produce to consumers intact. Postharvest science examines how ethylene biosynthesis triggers and coordinates ripening, how enzymes such as polyphenol oxidases alter texture and color, and how interventions like modified atmosphere packaging can slow deterioration without sacrificing flavor or nutritional value. Genetic and hormonal regulation of these processes is an active area of inquiry, with researchers working to identify which molecular switches govern the timing and trajectory of ripening in different horticultural crops. Open questions remain around preserving volatile aroma compounds under commercial storage conditions and translating knowledge of gene regulation into crop varieties that maintain quality across longer or more variable supply chains.

Works

57,099

Total citations

972,083

Keywords

Fruit RipeningEthylene BiosynthesisPostharvest FactorsHorticultural CropsGenetic RegulationPolyphenol Oxidases