Next-Generation Postharvest Technologies for Fruit Quality and Shelf Life Optimization

Dear Colleagues,

Post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables account for a significant proportion of global food waste, with adverse implications for food security, sustainability, economic efficiency, and environmental impact. These losses are often the result of physiological, microbiological, and biochemical changes that occur rapidly after harvest, leading to visible decay, textural degradation, loss of nutritional value, and decline in sensory acceptability.

In this context, there is a critical need to develop and implement innovative preservation technologies capable of prolonging shelf life and maintaining fruit quality throughout the supply chain, from harvest to consumer.

This Special Issue provides a dedicated platform for the dissemination of cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews on emerging preservation techniques aimed at controlling post-harvest decay and preserving the physicochemical integrity, nutritional composition, sensory attributes, and aromatic complexity of fresh and minimally processed fruits.

Contributions should focus on non-thermal, eco-friendly, and sustainability-aligned technologies that go beyond traditional refrigeration and chemical treatments, exploring their mechanistic basis, optimization strategies, and practical applications under real or simulated storage conditions:

• Hyperbaric Storage (HS) and Isochoric Freezing (IF) as sustainable alternatives to cold chain refrigeration.
• Digital Twins, sensor-integrated platforms, and AI-driven decision models for real-time postharvest logistics and shelf-life prediction.
• Upcycled biodegradable coatings and packaging derived from agri-food residues, designed as functional and intelligent preservation systems.
• Photonic-based technologies (e.g., UV-LED, pulsed light, blue light) targeting microbial and enzymatic spoilage in fresh-cut fruits and IV-range vegetables.

Dr. Antonio José Pérez-López
Dr. José Ramón Acosta-Motos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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