Fruit and Vegetables: Improving Produce Quality and Reducing Post-harvest Loss and Wastes

Dear Colleagues,

Fruits and vegetable (F&V) producers, logistic operators, retailers and consumers are the main actors involved in the management of different drivers (technological, economical and social) that affect issues or problems related to the food losses, waste and quality of the product. Quality, however, has become a very complex concept over the last twenty years, as the socioeconomic and cultural changes in society have created a multidimensional construct of the term, which may assume several meanings depending on the target audience, e.g., consumers, food operators and stakeholders, as they have different perspectives throughout the food chain.

Overproduction and excessive stock, inadequate demand forecasting, climate change and weather, product seasonality, short product shelf life, poor operational performance and inadequate handling non-conformance to retail specifications, lack of infrastructures and technical/managerial skill variability, products not harvested due to unprofitable prices, inadequate handling by retailers and consumers, inefficient in-store management, and supply chain inefficiencies (lack of coordination and information sharing) are only some of the most important causes involved in the F&V losses along all the supply chain.

A complementary approach is necessary to limit the F&V losses from field production, and, in turn, retail and consumption. Novel strategies, innovative technology, handling protocols, and concerted actions play key roles in food loss concepts and estimation in the context of Sustainable Development Goal 12, promoted by the United Nations.

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight and describe,  from an interdisciplinary perspective, recent research regarding solutions to limit pre-harvest and post-harvest losses, which affect fruit and vegetable products (fresh and processed). Short communications, original research and review articles are all welcome.

The potential topics are focused, but are not limited to, the following fields:

• New agricultural and food technology and engineering;
• Sustainable technologies for fruit and vegetable processing;
• Distribution chains in fruit and vegetable processing;
• Innovative products for enhancing the quality of fruits and vegetables;
• Evaluation of waste fruit products and evaluation of possible new chain;
• The development of new quality indexes and appropriate quality assessment methodologies.

Dr. Nicole Roberta Giuggioli
Prof. Dr. Cristiana Peano
Dr. Giovanna Giacalone
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• post-harvest
• quality
• supply chain
• sustainable technology