In recent years, consumers have become increasingly aware of the nutritional benefits brought by the regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, which reduces the risk of health problems and disease. High-quality raw materials are essential since minimally processed produce is highly perishable and susceptible to quality deterioration. The cutting, peeling, cleaning and packaging processes as well as the biochemical, sensorial and microbial changes that occur on plant tissue surfaces may accelerate produce deterioration. In this regard, biological contamination can be primary, which occurs when the infectious organisms directly contaminate raw materials, and/or by cross-contamination, which occurs during food preparation processes such as washing. Among the many technologies available to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut products, ozone technology has proven to be a highly effective sterilization technique. In this paper, we examine the main studies that have focused on the effects of gaseous ozone and ozonated water treatments on microbial growth and quality retention of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables. The purpose of this scientific literature review is to broaden our knowledge of eco-friendly technologies, such as ozone technology, which extends the shelf life and maintains the quality of fresh produce without emitting hazardous chemicals that negatively affect plant material and the environment.

Transgenic Cantaloupe Charentais melons ( Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis Naud. `Védrantais') exhibiting strong inhibition of ethylene production were used as a model to discriminate between ethylene-regulated and ethylene-independent ripening pathways. Compared to wild-type fruit, transgenic fruit did not undergo significant yellowing of the rind and softening of the flesh. However, these effects were completely reversed by treating transgenic fruit with 50 μL·L ^-1 exogenous ethylene. Pigmentation of the flesh occurred early before the onset of the climacteric and was thus unaffected by ethylene inhibition in transgenic fruit. Total soluble solids accumulated at the same rate in both types of fruit until 38 days after pollination when wild-type fruit abscissed. However, as ethylene-inhibited fruit failed to develop a peduncular abscission zone, they remained attached to the plant and accumulated higher amounts of sugars, mainly sucrose. Harvesting transgenic fruit resulted in a small but significant increase of internal ethylene associated with softening of the flesh.