Plant essential oils as antifungal treatments on the postharvest of fruit and vegetables

Abstract

Food safety is one of the major issues related to fresh fruit and vegetables. Microbial growth is one of the most important causes of postharvest fruit losses, being fungi the main causal agent associated with the postharvest diseases. The preservation of the 'freshness' quality of these products is relevant due to their economical impact. As an alternative to synthetic preservatives, natural antimicrobial agents have attracted the attention of modern consumers and the fresh produce industry. Particularly, natural antimicrobials based on plant essential oils are gaining support. This chapter is a comprehensive review of the use of essential oils from different sources and their constituents on the control of postharvest fungal decay and overall quality preservation of fresh fruit and vegetables. Emphasis has been on the sources of essential oils and their constituents studied up to now, and their effects on controlling postharvest fungal decay, either in vitro or in vivo, and their effect on overall quality and storage life of fresh commodities.