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Horticulturae
Special Issues
Postharvest Preservation and Processing Techniques for Horticultural Products
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Postharvest Preservation and Processing Techniques for Horticultural Products

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: 25 September 2026 | Viewed by 3705

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wenqiang Guan

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Guest Editor
School of Biotechnology and Food Science, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300134, China
Interests: postharvest quality and safety control; cold chain preservation; fruits and vegetables; postharvest processing
Dr. Yongli Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Interests: novel active materials for food packaging; food preservation; shelf-life extension; novel food processing techniques; quality control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Postharvest preservation and processing are critical factors in maintaining the quality, safety, and marketability of horticultural products. Despite significant advancements, challenges such as spoilage, nutrient loss, and the need for sustainable practices remain. This Special Issue aims to address these challenges by presenting the latest research on innovative preservation and processing techniques for horticultural products. We invite original research and review articles that explore novel methods, technologies, and strategies aimed at enhancing postharvest quality, extending shelf life, and ensuring food safety. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, advanced storage solutions, minimal processing techniques, quality control measures, and the impact of these methods on nutritional value and consumer acceptance.

Prof. Dr. Wenqiang Guan
Dr. Yongli Jiang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • postharvest preservation
  • processing techniques
  • horticultural products
  • quality control
  • shelf life extension
  • nutritional value
  • safety standards
  • sustainable practices
  • interdisciplinary approaches

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2802 KB  
Article
Rhodiola rosea L. Essential Oil Reduces Postharvest Strawberry Decay by Disrupting Botrytis cinerea Cell Wall and Membrane Integrity
by Ziyu Wang, Jiahua Li, Jie Zhong, Siling Chen, Endian Hu, Chunxiu Wan, Nengguo Tao and Xiaoli Tan
Horticulturae 2026, 12(2), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12020231 - 13 Feb 2026
Viewed by 640
Abstract
Botrytis cinerea poses a major threat to postharvest strawberries, causing significant losses due to gray mold. As a plant-derived antifungal agent, Rhodiola rosea L. essential oil (REO) possesses considerable healthcare benefits. However, its effectiveness and underlying mechanisms in the maintenance of postharvest products [...] Read more.
Botrytis cinerea poses a major threat to postharvest strawberries, causing significant losses due to gray mold. As a plant-derived antifungal agent, Rhodiola rosea L. essential oil (REO) possesses considerable healthcare benefits. However, its effectiveness and underlying mechanisms in the maintenance of postharvest products remain poorly understood. This study demonstrated that REO at 0.5 µL/mL completely inhibited the growth of B. cinerea under in vitro conditions. In vivo fumigation treatment with REO alleviated the severity of gray mold in strawberry fruit. Additionally, REO decreased natural decay and positively impacted marketability, as evidenced by higher firmness, total soluble solids, and ascorbic acid contents, as well as more favorable color attributes. Further investigations involving scanning electron microscopy, calcofluor white (CFW) staining, propidium iodide (PI) staining, 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate assay, and cellular leakage tests were conducted to investigate the effects of REO treatment on gray mold mycelium. Results showed that REO treatment induced severe morphological distortions and collapse of mycelium. Within 30 min of exposure, REO triggered a sharp increase in PI fluorescence accompanied by a decrease in CFW fluorescence, without inducing an elevation in intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. The elevated leakage of nucleic acids and soluble proteins further confirmed that REO compromised the integrity of the cell barrier in B. cinerea. Collectively, these findings indicate that REO exerts potent antifungal activity by disrupting the integrity and functionality of B. cinerea cellular barriers, thereby reducing postharvest decay and positively impacting the marketability of strawberry fruit. Taken together, our findings suggest that REO represents a promising natural alternative for environmentally sustainable postharvest protection of strawberries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Preservation and Processing Techniques for Horticultural Products)
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18 pages, 1983 KB  
Article
Acidic Electrolyzed Water Activates Disease Resistance and Sustains Postharvest Quality of Yellow Passion Fruit
by Yazhen Chen, Xu Chen, Yuzhao Lin, Shuliang Li, Qianying Zhuang, Xuanjing Jiang and Hongbin Chen
Horticulturae 2026, 12(2), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12020224 - 12 Feb 2026
Viewed by 493
Abstract
Passion fruit deteriorates rapidly after harvest owing to fungal decay and quality loss. This study examined whether acidic electrolyzed water (AEW, pH 2.5) could strengthen host defense responses and thereby prolong the marketable storage period of passion fruit. Freshly harvested yellow passion fruits [...] Read more.
Passion fruit deteriorates rapidly after harvest owing to fungal decay and quality loss. This study examined whether acidic electrolyzed water (AEW, pH 2.5) could strengthen host defense responses and thereby prolong the marketable storage period of passion fruit. Freshly harvested yellow passion fruits (without any prior storage) were immersed for 20 min in AEW containing 0 (control), 30, 60 or 90 mg/L available chlorine concentration (ACC) and then packaged in polyethylene film bags and stored at 25 °C for 15 days to simulate typical ambient handling/marketing conditions, where polyethylene packaging is commonly used to maintain a high-humidity microenvironment and reduce moisture loss; physicochemical attributes, decay parameters and disease-resistance-related enzyme activities were then monitored. AEW—particularly at 60 mg/L ACC—significantly lowered decay incidence, disease index and cell membrane permeability while preserving pericarp color (hue angle h, L*) and pulp titratable acidity, vitamin C, total soluble solids, and total soluble sugars. The same treatment elevated the concentrations of disease-resistant metabolites (total polyphenolics, flavonoids and lignin) and up-regulated the activities of peroxidase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, 4-coumarate CoA ligase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanase. These findings demonstrate that AEW mitigates postharvest deterioration of passion fruit by activating the metabolism of disease-resistant substances, highlighting its potential as an eco-friendly technology for maintaining quality during ambient handling/marketing conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Preservation and Processing Techniques for Horticultural Products)
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23 pages, 9130 KB  
Article
Transcriptomics Explored the Molecular Mechanism by Which L-Lysine/Arginine Inhibits Fresh-Cut Apple Browning
by Yating Liu, Shuwen Wang, Kexin Yuan, Yu Li, Qiannan Ding, Jingying Shi, Song Zhang and Pei Liu
Horticulturae 2026, 12(2), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12020210 - 9 Feb 2026
Viewed by 638
Abstract
Enzymatic browning in fresh-cut apples causes a decrease in sensory quality, commodity value reduction and economic losses. Various physical, chemical and biotechnological methods have been developed to inhibit browning in fresh-cut apples. In the present study, we propose a promising alternative approach using [...] Read more.
Enzymatic browning in fresh-cut apples causes a decrease in sensory quality, commodity value reduction and economic losses. Various physical, chemical and biotechnological methods have been developed to inhibit browning in fresh-cut apples. In the present study, we propose a promising alternative approach using a combination of lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg)—two natural amino acids—which effectively delayed browning in fresh-cut apples. Lys/Arg treatment impeded weight loss while maintaining firmness and soluble solid content. Molecular docking and phenolic contents showed that Lys/Arg could delay browning in fresh-cut apples by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and reducing phenolic substrates. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis showed that Lys/Arg treatment improved stress tolerance and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity. RT-qPCR confirmed that Lys/Arg treatment inhibited the transcription of key PPO-related genes and induced the expression of genes associated with antioxidant capacity, which collectively reduced PPO activity and enhanced the antioxidant capacity of fresh-cut apples. In conclusion, Lys/Arg treatment can delay fresh-cut apple browning by decreasing PPO activity, regulating phenolic metabolism and enhancing ROS scavenging, which provides a promising alternative approach to delaying visual browning and maintaining selected physicochemical attributes of fresh-cut apples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Preservation and Processing Techniques for Horticultural Products)
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17 pages, 2030 KB  
Article
3D-Printed Bilayer Active Film with Anise Oil Nano-Emulsion and Carbon Quantum Dots for Shelf-Life Extension of Sugar Tangerines
by Qi Tian, Chongyang Chen, Chaofan Guo, Qingbo Huang, Yongli Jiang and Junjie Yi
Horticulturae 2025, 11(9), 1061; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11091061 - 4 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1325
Abstract
This study developed a novel 3D-printed bilayer film (BF) embedded with star anise essential oil nanoemulsion (AEO-NE) and tamarind shell-derived carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for preserving sugar tangerines (Citrus reticulata Blanco). The BF comprised an outer chitosan-alginate-CQD barrier layer and an inner [...] Read more.
This study developed a novel 3D-printed bilayer film (BF) embedded with star anise essential oil nanoemulsion (AEO-NE) and tamarind shell-derived carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for preserving sugar tangerines (Citrus reticulata Blanco). The BF comprised an outer chitosan-alginate-CQD barrier layer and an inner AEO-NE active layer, fabricated using dual-extrusion 3D printing. Results showed that BF-treated fruits had significantly lower weight loss (23.6% reduction) and decay rates (0% spoilage until day 10) compared to controls (p < 0.05). The film’s controlled release (31% AEO release over 15 days) and UV-blocking properties (CQDs) maintained fruit firmness, color stability (ΔE < 2.0), and sugar content (TSS increase of only 3.7%). Sensory evaluation confirmed BF’s superiority, with treated fruits retaining freshness for 15 days, while controls deteriorated rapidly. The study demonstrates that 3D-printed active films synergizing AEO and CQDs offer a sustainable, high-performance solution for citrus preservation, extending shelf life by 10–15 days. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Preservation and Processing Techniques for Horticultural Products)
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