Abstract
After harvesting fruits and vegetables and during storage and transportation, its sensorial, nutritional and sensorial quality decreases due to its high moisture content, microbial growth, environmental factors, maturity and senescence. Considering their very short shelf life, fruits and vegetables need immediate post-harvest care to increase it. The most common conservation methods are based on the control of the transpiration rate, respiration and microbial spoiling. However, traditional methods have proven to be vulnerable. Between 25 and 40% of fruits and vegetables are lost before consumption because of inadequate postharvest treatments. In recent years, the development of alternative methods to assure microbial safety of fresh fruits and vegetables has been an important topic of investigation. Among these new methods, biopreservation using Lactic Acid Bacteria has been gaining interest, since they are classified as generally recognized as safe and have shown antimicrobial capacities; additionally, it is considered an environmentally friendly method. On the other hand, microencapsulation in a biodegradable matrix protects Lactic acid bacteria against unfavorable environmental conditions, which maintains their viability for a longer period. Therefore, the use of microencapsulated Lactic acid bacteria promises to be an effective technique to guarantee safety and to extend the useful life of fruits and vegetables during post-harvest. This review describes the main methods of preservation, as well as the emerging methods used to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables, with emphasis on bio-preservation as a proposal for future research.
Highlights
After harvesting, the sensorial and nutritional quality of foods from plant origin begins to decline because of the food deterioration and microbial growth (Shafiur-Rahman, 2007)
This review describes the most common preservation methods, as well as the emerging methods used to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables; emphasis is given to Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) as a potential sustainable option for food sanitation
Novel disinfection methods to be used in fruit and produce post-harvest technologies can help on the development of minimal processing for perishable food, where food safety is essential
Summary
The sensorial and nutritional quality of foods from plant origin begins to decline because of the food deterioration and microbial growth (Shafiur-Rahman, 2007). Fruits and vegetables are prone to deterioration rapidly; they have a very short shelf life due to their high moisture content. They are still living organisms that carry out transpiration, respiration and maturation after harvesting, their metabolism continues to increase the rate of deterioration due to maturity, senescence and unfavorable environmental factors. Since they are perishable, they need immediate post-harvest treatments to reduce the microbial load and increase their shelf life (Lal Basediya et al, 2013). Post-harvest losses can be reduced by controlling the rate of transpiration and respiration, reduction in microbial contamination and providing external membrane protection, with the consequent extension in shelf life (Bisen et al, 2010)
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