Quality losses in fresh produce throughout the postharvest phase are often due to the inappropriate use of preservation technologies. In the last few decades, besides the traditional approaches, advanced postharvest physical and chemical treatments (active packaging, dipping, vacuum impregnation, conventional heating, pulsed electric field, high hydrostatic pressure, and cold plasma) and biocontrol techniques have been implemented to preserve the nutritional value and safety of fresh produce. The application of these methodologies after harvesting is useful when addressing quality loss due to the long duration when transporting products to distant markets. Among the emerging technologies and contactless and non-destructive techniques for quality monitoring (image analysis, electronic noses, and near-infrared spectroscopy) present numerous advantages over the traditional, destructive methods. The present review paper has grouped original studies within the topic of advanced postharvest technologies, to preserve quality and reduce losses and waste in fresh produce. Moreover, the effectiveness and advantages of some contactless and non-destructive methodologies for monitoring the quality of fruit and vegetables will also be discussed and compared to the traditional methods.

Fresh-cut processing is a good strategy to enhance the commercialization of peaches and nectarines, which easily deteriorate during low-temperature storage mostly due to the occurrence of chilling injury. Although several studies have been performed to improve the shelf-life of fresh-cut stone fruit, the achievement of high-quality fresh-cut peaches and nectarines still constitutes a challenge. The present study aimed to gain insights into the evolution of the postharvest quality of fresh-cut nectarines (Prunus persica L. Batsch) Big Bang, cold-stored at two different storage temperatures (4 and 8 °C) for up to 10 days. Several aspects influencing the quality traits (sensory and postharvest quality parameters; the profile of phenolic and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) were explored to predict the marketable life of the fresh-cut nectarines. The respiration rate was higher in samples stored at 4 °C, while the browning process was more evident in fruit stored at 8 °C. Partial Least Squares Regression performed on VOCs showed that samples stored at 4 °C and 8 °C presented a different time evolution during the experiment and the trajectories depended on the interaction between time and temperature. Moreover, Multiple Linear Regression analysis discovered that the 17 VOCs affected by the storage conditions seemed to suggest that no chilling injury was detected for nectarines Big Bang. In conclusion, this approach could also be used with other nectarine cultivars and/or different stone fruits.

In recent years, severe climate change leading to by water scarcity reduced water quality has increased the need for effective irrigation strategies for agricultural production. Among these, the reuse of reclaimed water represents a non-expensive and reliable solution. The effect of conventional or reclaimed water, applying convention or smart fertigation system, were investigated during two irrigation seasons on yield, qualitative and biochemical traits of pomegranates fruit (cv Wonderful One) at harvest, and after storage at 7 °C. The results of this study showed that using reclaimed waters with different fertigation systems did not affect the pH values, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity on pomegranates fruit showing slight decrease changes only during postharvest storage. On the other hand, the respiration rate was not affected by water quality. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity was also preserved during storage in pomegranates fruit from plants irrigated with reclaimed water by applying conventional or smart fertigation. The analysis also identified 52 compounds by UHPLC-MSⁿ and HPLC-UV-Vis analyses. A slight decrease (about 17 %) at harvest and during storage in polyphenols content was shown in fruit grown using reclaimed water. The study demonstrates that using reclaimed water is a sustainable and effective way to limit the use of conventional water for irrigating pomegranate crops without significant reduction in yield, or in qualitative and nutritional values of the fruit at harvest and during storage.

Citron (Citrus medica L. cv. Liscia-diamante), cultivated in the “Riviera dei Cedri” (southern Italy), is mainly utilized in the production of candied fruit and essential oils (EOs). Up to now, no information regarding the effect of storage temperatures on citron has been reported. Here, citron samples, after harvesting, were stored at different temperatures (5, 10 and 20 °C at 70% relative humidity) for two weeks, and the main postharvest quality parameters were evaluated. Moreover, EOs extracted from the stored samples were chemically characterized to reveal changes in the volatiles profile and antimicrobial activity. The EOs presented monoterpene hydrocarbons (87.1 to 96.3% of the total oil profile) as the most abundant compounds, followed by oxygenated metabolites ranging from 9.7 to 3.1% of the total pattern. Postharvest quality traits showed a good retention of green peel color during storage at 5 °C, while EOs from samples stored for 7 and 14 days at 10 and 20 °C, respectively, showed the highest antimicrobial activity against most assayed strains. The results indicated storage at 10 °C for 7 days as the most suitable for the preservation of the postharvest quality of the fruit and the antimicrobial activity of the extracted EOs.