Reducing post-harvest loss is an important way to increase the efficiency of the food system and reduce production costs, thereby improving food and nutrition security. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3: "calls by 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer level and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.’’ Post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables are around 15-30% in developing countries, mostly due to the grading caused by quality standards set by retailers. Large quantities of vegetables are lost because of post-harvest quality deterioration due to decay and shriveling throughout the supply chain from farm gate to the consumers. Reducing post-harvest losses improves marketing and investment for the growers. Apart from quantitative loss, qualitative losses, such as taste, color, texture, appearance, and nutrient losses including phytochemicals of vegetables are lost during the post-harvest process.

In global markets, implementing appropriate post-harvest technologies, such as cold chain management, modified atmosphere packaging, controlled atmosphere storage and post-harvest treatments, helps in the reduction of post-harvest losses. At rural level, post-harvest processing, such as drying, dehydration, pickling and fermentation, are common methods of preserving seasonal vegetables for off-season utilization.

Storage, processing and cooking significantly affect the health-promoting phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, glucosinolates, carotenoids and tocopherols. Research information highlighting the impact of post-harvest storage and processing on health-promoting phytochemicals and their biological activities is however limited. In this context, the aim of this Research Topic is to generate more knowledge and information for researchers, food manufacturers and chefs on the influence of different post-harvest storage and processing techniques on the changes that occur in health-promoting phytochemicals of exotic and underutilized vegetables, their biological activities and potential impact on the gut microbiome and “gut health.’’

We welcome the submission of Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Hypothesis and Theory, and Perspectives that will help to improve the understanding and optimizing of post-harvest storage and processing techniques to benefit the consumer.

Sub-topics of interest include:
• Effect of post-harvest storage technologies on the retention of health-promoting phytochemicals in vegetables including exotic and underutilized vegetables.

• Effect of processing technologies on the retention of health-promoting phytochemicals in exotic and underutilized vegetables.

• Impact of post-harvest storage and processing techniques on the improvement of biological activities of health-promoting phytochemicals in exotic and underutilized vegetables.

• Impact of post-harvest storage and processing techniques on bioaccessibility and bioavailability of health-promoting phytochemicals in exotic and underutilized vegetables and their potential impact on the gut microbiome and “gut health’’.

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Frontiers in Nutrition

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