Postharvest Biology, Quality, Safety, and Technology
A section of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524).
Section Information
The knowledge of postharvest physiology and pathology helps to understand the basic biological changes and underlying mechanisms that occur in a detached fresh or fresh-cut organ from the moment of harvest until it is consumed, whether fresh, fresh-cut, or cooked. This may take a few days or up to one year; regardless, the fresh or fresh-cut produce should maintain its external, internal, and sensorial quality. Postharvest technology is used to manage the harvesting, handling, storage, and marketing conditions that lead to extended shelf life and better quality of harvested produce.
Despite the remarkable progress in increasing food production worldwide, approximately half of the population in developing countries does not have access to adequate food supply. Thus, the food safety and security problem is worsening. Plants or plant parts continue to function metabolically after harvest and are subjected to physiological, pathological, biochemical, and sensorial deterioration and loss. The magnitude of postharvest losses in fresh and fresh-cut produce is estimated to be 5% to 25% in developed countries and 25% to 50% in developing countries. This enormous waste of fresh food poses a significant economic, social, and ecological challenge for humanity, indicating the need to improve current practices to understand and develop new means to reduce this loss. Technological advances—like the online monitoring of the environment and the produce state, or the active modulation of storage conditions, in parallel with increased public awareness of food quality and safety—introduce both opportunities as well as challenges to the field.
In the Postharvest Biology, Quality, Safety, and Technology Section, we welcome original manuscripts of diverse types concerning recent insights, approaches, and advances in the pre- and postharvest harvesting, handling, and marketing of perishable fresh produce aiming to preserve its quality and reduce losses during prolonged storage and shelf life. We also welcome innovative applied research aiming to maintain fresh produce quality.
In particular, Postharvest Biology, Quality, Safety, and Technology welcomes contributions by early career researchers and propositions for research topics. In addition, we invite senior scientists to initiate and serve as Guest Editors of new Special Issues on a single and particular theme.
Keywords
- ripening
- senescence
- deterioration
- ethylene
- respiration
- cold storage
- controlled atmosphere storage
- aroma volatiles
Editorial Board
Topical Advisory Panel
Special Issues
Following special issues within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Postharvest Management of Citrus Fruit (Deadline: 25 April 2024)
- Advances in Novel Technologies for Improving the Quality and Shelf-Life of Postharvest Commodities (Deadline: 10 May 2024)
- Fruits Quality and Sensory Analysis (Deadline: 20 May 2024)
- The Effects of Post-harvest Treatments on the Quality of Edible Flowers and Aromatic Plants (Deadline: 20 May 2024)
- Recent Advancements in Postharvest Fruit Quality and Physiological Mechanism (Deadline: 15 June 2024)
- Factors Affecting the Quality and Shelf Life of Horticultural Crops (Deadline: 20 June 2024)
- Postharvest Application of Edible Coatings on Fruits and Vegetables (Deadline: 20 June 2024)
- Advanced Study on Quality Control and Metabolism of Bioactive Compounds of Postharvest Horticultural Crops (Deadline: 25 June 2024)
- Postharvest Handling and Nondestructive Detection of Fresh Horticulture Crops (Deadline: 30 June 2024)
- Novel Approaches to Control Postharvest Loss and Quality Deterioration of Fruits (Deadline: 10 July 2024)
- Advances in Postharvest Packaging and Preservation Techniques (Deadline: 15 July 2024)
- Postharvest Physiology and Quality Maintaining of Horticultural Plants (Deadline: 31 July 2024)
- Research on Molecular Mechanism of Fruit Softening (Deadline: 31 July 2024)
- Postharvest Biology and Molecular Research of Horticulture Crops (Deadline: 31 July 2024)
- Postharvest Physiology of Horticultural Crops (Deadline: 31 July 2024)
- Storage and Quality Management of Horticultural Products (Deadline: 10 August 2024)
- Recent Advances in the Postharvest and Processing Technologies of Horticultural Crops: New Perspectives and Applications (Deadline: 20 August 2024)
- Phytochemicals of Natural Products: Analysis and Biological Activities-Volume II (Deadline: 20 September 2024)
- Pre and Postharvest Technologies with Eco-Friendly Compounds for Maintaining Quality of Fruits and Vegetables during Cold Storage (Deadline: 30 September 2024)
- Advances in Postharvest Fresh-Keeping Technology and Metabolomics of Horticultural Plants (Deadline: 10 October 2024)
- Fruit Quality and Biochemical Characteristics during Post Harvest Storage and Processing (Deadline: 31 October 2024)
- Pre- and Post-harvest Factors Regulating Secondary Metabolites in Fruit (Deadline: 10 November 2024)
- New Strategies to Preserve Quality during Postharvest Storage (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
Topical Collections
Following topical collections within this section are currently open for submissions:
- More than a Wrap: The Role of Fruit Skin in Defining Fruit Storability and Quality (Closed)
- New Advances in Fruit Quality: Pre-harvest Techniques and Postharvest Management
- Nutritive Value, Polyphenolic Content, and Bioactive Constitution of Green, Red and Flowering Plants-Volume II
- Postharvest Handling of Horticultural Crops (Closed)