Quality of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables as affected by exposure to abiotic stress

Abstract

Abiotic stress potential has a significant impact on quality and nutritional status of fresh cut fruits and vegetables. However, very little work has been directed to defining and documenting the abiotic stresses that occur during fresh cut processing, packaging and storage. Many indicators can be used to infer impact of abiotic stress such as discolouration (e.g. browning of fresh-cut surfaces), increased respiration and ethylene evolution, loss of flavour and texture, weight loss, decline in levels of ascorbate, development of off-odours, membrane breakdown, and tissue softening. Using these indicators, a case is made from existing literature for the importance of abiotic stress in determining quality of fresh cut products. Impact of preharvest stress, genetic variation and stress response, injuries incurred after harvest, and storage regimes will be discussed in detail. From this literature review, it becomes clear that current understanding of abiotic stress levels and mechanisms is relatively sparse. Further research is required to better document this issue as well as to develop effective strategies to modulate stress responses such that quality and nutritive value of fresh cut fruits and vegetables can be improved.