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The objective was to evaluate the effect of visible spectrum LED lighting during shelf-life on physicochemical quality and the main bioactive compounds of Kumato® cherry tomatoes. Tomatoes were stored 13 days at 5 °C under white (W), blue (B), blue + red (B + R), green + red (G + R), and green + far-red (G + FR) LED lights. Darkness (D) was used as control. Tomatoes under illumination showed higher weight losses and firmness decreases (30–35%). No chilling injury was observed. B + R lighting increased the carotenoid content by ∼27%, while G + R and G + FR reported an increase ∼30% in phenolics. B and B + R showed the highest increase in the phytochemical biosynthesis (lycopene and naringenin, as main carotenoid and flavonoid found) compared to D and W. Conclusively, illumination with B + R or B during shelf-life is recommended to enhance the main bioactive compounds. G + R and G + FR, also reported to be good elicitors of the phenolics and carotenoids biosynthesis.

UV abiotic stresses have beneficial effects in plants inducing the synthesis of secondary metabolites when low doses were applied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 6 kJ m-2 UV (B or C) and 6+6 kJ m-2 UV (B+C) on the main bioactive compounds of red bell peppers during a refrigerated shelf-life period. Changes in carotenoids, phenolics, and flavonoids were studied after 8 and 14 d at 7 ºC, an after an additional retail sale period of 4 d at 18 ºC. Physicochemical quality attributes were not affected by any UV treatment. Generally, UV treatments induced carotenoid accumulation, highlighting that after 14 d at 7ºC, UVB and UVC increased by 59 % the total carotenoid content, and UVB+C did it by 94 % compared to non-UV-treated peppers as control (CTRL). UVC, UVB, and UVB+C are good elicitors of the flavonoid biosynthesis with 42, 66, and 43 % increases just after treatment, respectively, compared to CTRL. This behaviour was enhanced in UVC and UVB+C treated peppers after 8 d at 7 ºC (15 and 44 %, respectively) and after 14 d at 7ºC (146 and 137 %) regarding CTRL peppers, which was also shown after the retail period assayed of 4 d at 18 ºC. In conclusion, a postharvest 6 kJ m-2 UV-C treatment could be a great tool for increasing the accumulation of carotenoids and flavonoids in red bell peppers.

Figs are an important constituent of the Mediterranean diet, widely consumed fresh. Due to their very short shelf life, postharvest techniques to preserve quality and safety should be implemented. The current work aimed to study the combined effect of a postharvest UV–C treatment (5 or 10 kJ m−2) followed by packaging under passive modified atmosphere (MAP) on physicochemical and bioactive quality of fresh figs (cv. ‘Colar’) stored up to 12 d at 0 ºC (90–95% RH). As controls, UV–C untreated and air-stored (AIR) samples were used. The flesh firmness, skin colour, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), pH, total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity were monitored. The steady-state modified atmosphere reached since day 8 was 17 kPa CO2 and 4 kPa O2. UV-C treated samples did not show visual decay incidence, while mycelial growth was observed in untreated figs on day 12. Figs treated with 10 kJ m-2 UV–C and stored under MAP conditions showed the highest flesh firmness with values of 0.6 N, which is 50% higher than in AIR. Skin darkening observed among samples was higher in 10 kJ m-2 with Chroma decreases of 2.6 units on day 12 under MAP, although panellists preferred this treatment according to its visual appearance. Higher SSC and TA differences were found in UVC-treated samples during storage. Moreover, 10 kJ m-2 UV–C and MAP induced the highest total phenolic content accumulation, with 260% and 540% higher values from day 4 to day 12 for skin and flesh, respectively. In conclusion, a 10 kJ m−2 UV–C treatment after harvesting followed by packaging under MAP conditions may be considered a good tool to preserve the physicochemical and bioactive quality of fresh figs during 12 d at 0 ºC.

The aim of this research is to define different scenarios that optimize the environmental sustainability of the postharvest stage of vegetable products (cauliflower and brassicas mix). These scenarios considered different packaging materials; energy generation technologies for the processing plant (standard electricity mix vs. renewable options); organic waste management (composting, anaerobic digestion, and animal feeding); and refrigerated transportation (local, national, and international, using diesel, natural gas, and hybrid trucks and railway). The analysis has been carried out based on a foreground inventory provided by a company that operating internationally, in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14,040 methodological framework and following the latest Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) protocols. The analysis describes four midpoint categories, single score (SS) using EF3.0 life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methodology and the Cumulative Energy Demand. The carbon footprint (CF) of the post-harvest stage for a base case scenario ranged between 0.24 and 0.29 kg CO2 eq/kg of vegetable, with a strong contribution associated to the production of packaging materials (57.8–65.2 %) and the transport stage (national range in conventional diesel vehicles) (31.5–38.0 %). Comparatively, lower emissions were associated with the energy consumed at the processing factory (up to 4.1%) while the composting of organic waste management produced some impact savings (up to−3.5 %). Although certain differences were observed, the dominance of the transport stage and the packaging materials is sustained in all the other environmental impact and energy categories evaluated. The most effective measures to reduce the environmental footprint of the post-harvest stage involve: i) using reusable packaging materials; ii) reducing the transport range and using vehicles running on natural gas or hybrid technologies; iii) the incorporation of rene

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of UV lighting (UV-B, UV-C and UV-C + UV-B) as a postharvest abiotic stress in the quality changes of minimally processed Brassicaceae sprouts (broccoli and radish) during a shelf-life period of 10 d at 4 ºC. No UV illumination was used as control (CTRL). The total UV-C doses received were 9 kJ m-2 (UVC) and 15 kJ m-2 UV-B (UVB) by applying the 50% of such doses after harvest and on the first day of the shelf-life. Results showed that when UVC was applied, the epiphytic microbial load was reduced up to 1 log CFU g-1 fw. The UVB treatment reported the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) after 10 d at 4 ºC. In general, both species showed an amelioration effect in the TPC and TAC after UV treatments, which also enhanced the glucosinolate (GL) and the main isothiocyanates (ITC) content. In fact, UVB increased by ~30 % the GL content compared to CTRL samples, which were mostly aliphatic GLs in radish and indolyl GLs in broccoli. As main ITC, sulforaphane content was enhanced by 37.5 % in UVB-treated broccoli sprouts while the sulforaphene content was highly increased by 72 % in radish sprouts. In conclusion, UVB radish sprouts reported 5-fold higher GL content and 60-fold higher biologically ITC content than broccoli sprouts. Therefore, its inclusion in the daily intake is recommended to increase the prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the periodical UV-B radiation hormesis during kale seeds germination in their main content of secondary metabolite compounds (phenols; glucosinolates; total antioxidant capacity –TAC–) and their changes during a refrigerated shelf-life. The total UV-B doses received were 0, 5, 10, and 15 kJ m−2 (CTRL, UVB5, UVB10, and UVB15) in where the 25% was applied on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 10th sprouting day. UV radiation did not affect the morphological development of the sprouts. UVB10 and UVB15 treatments increased their phenolic content (>30%). Likewise, TAC was increased by UV-B lighting ~10% (DPPH) and ~20% (FRAP). The hydroxycinnamic acid content in UVB15-treated sprouts increased by 52%, while UVB5 reported an increase of 34% in the kaempferol-3,7-di-O-glucoside concentration, compared to CTRL. After 10 d at 4 °C of shelf-life, content of gallic acid hexoside I and gallic acid increased by 55 and 78% compared to UV-untreated kale sprouts, respectively. Glucoraphanin was the main glucosinolate found in kale sprouts and seeds, followed by 4-hydroxy-glucobrassicin, whose biosynthesis was enhanced by UVB10 (~24 and ~27%) and UVB15 (~36 and ~30%), respectively, compared to CTRL. In conclusion, periodical low UV-B illumination represents a useful tool to stimulate phytochemicals biosynthesis in kale sprouts as an important source of bioactive compounds with potential health benefits.

UV abiotic stresses have beneficial effects in plants inducing the synthesis of secondary metabolites when low doses were applied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 6 kJ m−2 UV (B or C) and 6 + 6 kJ m−2 UV (B + C) on the main bioactive compounds of red bell peppers during a refrigerated shelf-life period. Changes in carotenoids, phenolics, and flavonoids were studied after 8 and 14 d at 7 °C, an after an additional retail sale period of 4 d at 18 °C. Physicochemical quality attributes were not affected by any UV treatment. Generally, UV treatments induced carotenoid accumulation, highlighting that after 14 d at 7 °C, UVB and UVC increased by 59 % the total carotenoid content, and UVB + C did it by 94 % compared to non-UV-treated peppers as control (CTRL). UVC, UVB, and UVB + C are good elicitors of the flavonoid biosynthesis with 42, 66, and 43 % increases just after treatment, respectively, compared to CTRL. This behaviour was enhanced in UVC and UVB + C treated peppers after 8 d at 7 °C (15 and 44 %, respectively) and after 14 d at 7 °C (146 and 137 %) regarding CTRL peppers, which was also shown after the retail period assayed of 4 d at 18 °C. In conclusion, a postharvest 6 kJ m-2 UV-C treatment could be a great tool for increasing the accumulation of carotenoids and flavonoids in red bell peppers.

A new potassium permanganate–based ethylene (C2H4) scavenger was developed using sepiolite as support material. The effects of the scavenger on the main quality attributes of ‘Mirlo naranja’ apricots were evaluated in combination with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) at 2 ºC and under air packaging conditions at 15 ºC. In–package gas composition, physicochemical traits (weight loss, fruit firmness, skin colour, pH, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solid content (SSC) and SSC/TA ratio, fungal incidence and sensory analysis were monitored throughout storage. Results were compared with those obtained by using a commercial scavenger. As control, no scavengers were used. The results showed that both scavengers could achieve undetectable C2H4 concentrations within MAP packages at 2 °C. Overall, C2H4 removal resulted in a significant decrease in fruit weight loss, delayed TA decrease and led to lower SSC/TA ratio increase, while no effect was observed on fruit softening. In addition, the 15 ºC–stored apricots also exhibited a lower pH increase, a decrease in C* colour parameter and less fungal incidence as a consequence of a C2H4–free environment. Furthermore, the developed scavenger reduced SSC changes of 15 °C–stored fruit, delayed fungal incidence at 2 ºC, and maintained higher sensory quality during storage, maintaining good quality up to 36 d at 2 ºC or 14 d at 15 ºC. Accordingly, the developed C2H4 scavenger could be a good mean to delay ripening process of fresh apricots, and probably other C2H4 sensitive fruit, prolonging their postharvest storability and improving consumer acceptability.

Fresh–cut apple browning has been conventionally tried to control with the help of ascorbic acid dips, although such antioxidant effect is limited. Lycopene, absent in apple flesh, is the carotenoid in nature with the highest antioxidant capacity, in special for its cis−isomers. Tomato skin is a low cost by-product with very high lycopene content (7.23 g kg−1) and high potential to be incorporated as an antioxidant agent in antibrowning dipping treatments. High lycopene extraction from tomato skin was achieved with a thermal treatment (75 ºC, 1 h) favouring trans−to−cis lycopene isomerization with TiO2 nanoparticles. Lycopene extracts were highly encapsulated (encapsulation efficiency: 92.2 %) with the complex coacervation method and the obtained microspheres were then incorporated in dipping treatments (0.5 (L0.5), 1 (L1) or 2 g L–1 (L2)) during fresh–cut apples processing, compared with an ascorbic acid dipping (AA; 10 g L–1). Quality changes (colour, microbial, physicochemical and bioactive compounds) were studied up to 9 d at 5 ºC. The L2 dipping controlled better the browning during storage, showing the lowest browning index among treatments (BI=43.8) after 9 d. Furthermore, L2 dipping did not affect the physicochemical quality of samples, while maintaining a good microbial quality. Incorporation of lycopene microspheres also improved the bioactive quality of samples, still showing total cis−lycopene isomer content of ≈ 20 mg kg−1 after 9 d. Furthermore, chlorogenic acid, the predominant phenolic acid, content was enhanced by 56 % in L2 samples after 6–9 d. In conclusion, a dipping treatment of fresh–cut apples including 2 g L–1 lycopene microspheres reduced browning, while quality was maintained and some bioactive compounds even enhanced after 9 d at 5 ºC.