Postharvest Ultraviolet Radiation in Fruit and Vegetables: Applications and Factors Modulating Its Efficacy on Bioactive Compounds and Microbial Growth
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been considered a deleterious agent that living organisms must avoid. However, many of the acclimation changes elicited by UV induce a wide range of positive effects in plant physiology through the elicitation of secondary antioxidant metabolites and natural defenses....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/5/653 |
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| author | Magalí Darré Ariel Roberto Vicente Luis Cisneros-Zevallos Francisco Artés-Hernández |
| author_facet | Magalí Darré Ariel Roberto Vicente Luis Cisneros-Zevallos Francisco Artés-Hernández |
| author_sort | Magalí Darré |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been considered a deleterious agent that living organisms must avoid. However, many of the acclimation changes elicited by UV induce a wide range of positive effects in plant physiology through the elicitation of secondary antioxidant metabolites and natural defenses. Therefore, this fact has changed the original UV conception as a germicide and potentially damaging agent, leading to the concept that it is worthy of application in harvested commodities to take advantage of its beneficial responses. Four decades have already passed since postharvest UV radiation applications began to be studied. During this time, UV treatments have been successfully evaluated for different purposes, including the selection of raw materials, the control of postharvest diseases and human pathogens, the elicitation of nutraceutical compounds, the modulation of ripening and senescence, and the induction of cross-stress tolerance. Besides the microbicide use of UV radiation, the effect that has received most attention is the elicitation of bioactive compounds as a defense mechanism. UV treatments have been shown to induce the accumulation of phytochemicals, including ascorbic acid, carotenoids, glucosinolates, and, more frequently, phenolic compounds. The nature and extent of this elicitation have been reported to depend on several factors, including the product type, maturity, cultivar, UV spectral region, dose, intensity, and radiation exposure pattern. Even though in recent years we have greatly increased our understanding of UV technology, some major issues still need to be addressed. These include defining the operational conditions to maximize UV radiation efficacy, reducing treatment times, and ensuring even radiation exposure, especially under realistic processing conditions. This will make UV treatments move beyond their status as an emerging technology and boost their adoption by industry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:39:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00f40868e5dc47cda8088cf78e817772 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:39:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-00f40868e5dc47cda8088cf78e8177722023-11-23T23:00:25ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582022-02-0111565310.3390/foods11050653Postharvest Ultraviolet Radiation in Fruit and Vegetables: Applications and Factors Modulating Its Efficacy on Bioactive Compounds and Microbial GrowthMagalí Darré0Ariel Roberto Vicente1Luis Cisneros-Zevallos2Francisco Artés-Hernández3LIPA—Laboratorio de Investigación en Productos Agroindustriales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Calle 60 y 119 s/n, La Plata CP 1900, ArgentinaLIPA—Laboratorio de Investigación en Productos Agroindustriales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Calle 60 y 119 s/n, La Plata CP 1900, ArgentinaDepartment of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAPostharvest and Refrigeration Group, Department of Agronomical Engineering & Institute of Plant Biotechnology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30203 Murcia, SpainUltraviolet (UV) radiation has been considered a deleterious agent that living organisms must avoid. However, many of the acclimation changes elicited by UV induce a wide range of positive effects in plant physiology through the elicitation of secondary antioxidant metabolites and natural defenses. Therefore, this fact has changed the original UV conception as a germicide and potentially damaging agent, leading to the concept that it is worthy of application in harvested commodities to take advantage of its beneficial responses. Four decades have already passed since postharvest UV radiation applications began to be studied. During this time, UV treatments have been successfully evaluated for different purposes, including the selection of raw materials, the control of postharvest diseases and human pathogens, the elicitation of nutraceutical compounds, the modulation of ripening and senescence, and the induction of cross-stress tolerance. Besides the microbicide use of UV radiation, the effect that has received most attention is the elicitation of bioactive compounds as a defense mechanism. UV treatments have been shown to induce the accumulation of phytochemicals, including ascorbic acid, carotenoids, glucosinolates, and, more frequently, phenolic compounds. The nature and extent of this elicitation have been reported to depend on several factors, including the product type, maturity, cultivar, UV spectral region, dose, intensity, and radiation exposure pattern. Even though in recent years we have greatly increased our understanding of UV technology, some major issues still need to be addressed. These include defining the operational conditions to maximize UV radiation efficacy, reducing treatment times, and ensuring even radiation exposure, especially under realistic processing conditions. This will make UV treatments move beyond their status as an emerging technology and boost their adoption by industry.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/5/653UVUVBUVCUV illuminationphotochemical treatmentsabiotic stress |
| spellingShingle | Magalí Darré Ariel Roberto Vicente Luis Cisneros-Zevallos Francisco Artés-Hernández Postharvest Ultraviolet Radiation in Fruit and Vegetables: Applications and Factors Modulating Its Efficacy on Bioactive Compounds and Microbial Growth Foods UV UVB UVC UV illumination photochemical treatments abiotic stress |
| title | Postharvest Ultraviolet Radiation in Fruit and Vegetables: Applications and Factors Modulating Its Efficacy on Bioactive Compounds and Microbial Growth |
| title_full | Postharvest Ultraviolet Radiation in Fruit and Vegetables: Applications and Factors Modulating Its Efficacy on Bioactive Compounds and Microbial Growth |
| title_fullStr | Postharvest Ultraviolet Radiation in Fruit and Vegetables: Applications and Factors Modulating Its Efficacy on Bioactive Compounds and Microbial Growth |
| title_full_unstemmed | Postharvest Ultraviolet Radiation in Fruit and Vegetables: Applications and Factors Modulating Its Efficacy on Bioactive Compounds and Microbial Growth |
| title_short | Postharvest Ultraviolet Radiation in Fruit and Vegetables: Applications and Factors Modulating Its Efficacy on Bioactive Compounds and Microbial Growth |
| title_sort | postharvest ultraviolet radiation in fruit and vegetables applications and factors modulating its efficacy on bioactive compounds and microbial growth |
| topic | UV UVB UVC UV illumination photochemical treatments abiotic stress |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/5/653 |
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