Quality deterioration due to undesirable discolorations in fruits and vegetables have attracted tremendous attention. This review provides a comprehensive review of browning, yellowing, whitening, black discoloration, red discoloration, and degreening in fruits and vegetables, and elaborates on the formation mechanisms and pathways. Moreover, the inhibition methods of these discolorations are summarized, and the mechanisms of inhibition are discussed based on the formation mechanism. Also, it is concluded that the phenylpropane pathway is an essential common pathway for the occurrence of yellowing, whitening, and browning. The review provides a reference for subsequent mechanism studies and the development of new control methods.