Factors driving fruit browning during postharvest storage

A significant amount of fruit is wasted every year due to postharvest physiological processes such as respiration, transpiration, and ripening, as well as inadequate storage conditions involving gas composition, temperature, and humidity. In addition, deterioration caused by microbial proliferation further contributes to losses, with tissue browning being one of the most serious problems during postharvest storage.

Although many studies have investigated one or several factors associated with enzymatic browning in postharvest fruits, there are still limited comprehensive reviews that systematically summarize the core factors involved in this process. For this reason, the paper provides an extensive review of the main elements influencing fruit browning during postharvest storage.

The study discusses factors such as cell membrane integrity, browning-related enzymes, substrates involved in browning reactions, and the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS), while also analyzing how these factors affect browning development under different storage conditions.

According to the authors, structural disruption of cell membranes caused by important postharvest factors represents the primary prerequisite for enzymatic browning to occur. Reactive oxygen species also function as key signaling molecules that intensify the process. Under these conditions, enzyme-catalyzed oxidation reactions become unavoidable, although the severity of browning can be significantly regulated through various postharvest treatments.

The review further highlights that responses to these core factors vary considerably depending on fruit variety and ripening stage. Therefore, future research should focus on understanding the synergistic regulatory mechanisms governing enzymatic browning while carefully considering differences among fruit species and maturity stages.

Finally, the study emphasizes the importance of applying combined technologies specifically targeting these core factors in order to inhibit browning and improve postharvest fruit preservation.

Source

Zhang, K., Jiang, S., Wei, Y., Chen, Y., Ye, J., Xu, F., Ding, P., & Shao, X. (s.f.). Revisiting the Advances in Core Factors Influencing Fruit Tissue Browning During Postharvest Storage. Springer.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11947-026-04383-1