Light-Emitting Diodes in Postharvest Quality Preservation and Microbiological Food Safety

Abstract

For several decades, the role of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in plant growth has been recognized and studied with substantial depth. However, with the advancement of the technology, reaping devices with greater luminous output and greater diversity of peak wavelengths, LEDs have found more applications within the food industry, particularly in the areas of postharvest and microbiological quality. This chapter covers recent developments in the use of LEDs in the postharvest stage of agricultural outputs such as fruits and vegetables, examining their effects on the nutritional content of foods kept in cold storage, as well as the maturity and rate of ripening of foods, and their role in preventing fungal infections. Furthermore, the chapter presents recent studies exploring the use of LEDs and ultraviolet (UV) LEDs without additives, or together with photosensitizers or photocatalysts, to inactivate pathogenic bacteria in food. These methods are worth adopting by the food industry as they could provide a nonthermal means of keeping food safe without the use of chemical sanitizers or additives and may prevent the development of bacterial resistance.