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.

The preservation of the freshness of fruits and vegetables until their consumption is the aim of many research activities. Quality losses of fresh fruit and vegetables during cold chain are frequently attributable to an inappropriate use of postharvest technologies. Moreover, especially when fresh produce is transported to distant markets, it is necessary to adopt proper postharvest preservation technologies in order to preserve the initial quality and limit microbial decay. Nowadays, for each step of supply chain (packing house, cold storage rooms, precooling center, refrigerate transport and distribution), are available innovative preservation technologies that, alone or in combination, could improve the fresh products in order to maintain the principal quality and nutritional characteristics. The issue groups five original studies and two comprehensive reviews within the topic of preservation technologies related to innovative packaging and postharvest operation and treatments, highlighting their effect on quality keeping.