Preharvest and Postharvest Factors affecting Fruit and Vegetables Quality, Physiology, and Shelf-Life

Improving crop quality and shelf-life is a challenge in the context of a global horticultural food supply. Horticultural crops are an important source of carbohydrates, proteins, organic acids, vitamins and minerals for human nutrition and health. In addition to the health benefits that can be derived from their consumption, fruits and vegetable also function as precious sources of bioactive compounds for food functionalization or nutraceutical preparations. To improve quality and reduce losses, producers and handlers should understand the biological, environmental, and technological factors affecting quality and deterioration. Fresh horticultural products are living tissues subject to continuous changes after harvest as they are high in water content and, for that reason, are subject to weight loss and mechanical injury. Horticultural commodities are perishable products with an active metabolism, subject to extensive losses through microbial decay, physical injury and senescence during postharvest life. Postharvest changes in horticultural products cannot be stopped, but they can be slowed within certain limits. The maintenance or improvement of the postharvest life of fresh horticultural products is becoming increasingly important. Indeed, appropriate preharvest techniques and postharvest handling and technology play a key role in increasing food availability and maintaining food quality. Fresh horticultural products are different in terms of morphological structure (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, etc.), composition, and general physiology. For that reason, commodities requirements and recommendations to maintain quality and improve postharvest life vary among products. The connection between quality build-up in the preharvest period and its impact on the technological quality traits have been frequently overlooked and detailed knowledge is still missing. During postharvest life, as maturation progresses, genetic, chemical and environmental control can help to maintain product quality. Improving shelf life, maintaining quality, and reducing waste while reducing the use of chemicals are mandatory to meet the consumer's demand and reduce losses along the food chain.
It is very important to highlight the most significant changes occurring during maturity-ripening as pre-harvest and post-harvest factors affecting fruit and vegetable quality at harvest time. Preharvest growth and development is a critical period for the formation of the quality and resistance of horticultural crops (products), and most pathogens remain quiescent for a long time in this period. The main pre-harvest factors influencing quality are related to environmental factors, such as light, temperature, rainfall, soil, and cultural practices, including the use of suitable cultivars, fertilization, irrigation, pruning, spraying, etc. The main post-harvest factors influencing quality of fruits and vegetables are genotype, maturity stage, harvest (method and time), and the applied technologies that affect the conditions during postharvest chain (sorting and grading, packaging, storage, and transportation).
The aim of this Research Topic is to highlight and describe recent and advanced research regarding pre-harvest and postharvest factors and technology that affect horticultural product (fresh and processed) physiology, quality and shelf-life. In order to understand the effects of preharvest and postharvest factors on the postharvest quality, disease, maturity, senescence, and shelf life of horticultural crops, this Research Topic will collect the relevant research papers related to this topic.
Potential topics to be covered:
• Advanced agronomic practices to enhance quality and shelf-life of fruits and vegetables.
• Advanced technologies to enhance quality and shelf-life of fruits and vegetables.
• Advanced technologies to enhance and to check safety, health, and sustainability of fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables.
• Fresh and minimally processed products physiology and technology and factors that affect quality and shelf-life.
• Controlled and Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) application and composition.
• Methodologies and technologies for edible coating production and application on fresh- and minimally processed horticultural products.
• Effect of harvest, handling, processing, storage and distribution on quality, nutritional and nutraceuticals parameters.
• Factors that affect quality losses and waste during food chain.
• Microbiological analysis of fresh- and minimally processed products, effect of anti-microbial agents on microbial load and products safety.

Authors are invited to submit recent research regarding pre-harvest and postharvest factors and technology that affect horticultural product (fresh and processed) physiology, quality and shelf-life.
Please note: Descriptive studies that report responses of growth, yield or quality to agronomical treatments will not be considered if they do not progress physiological understanding of these responses.