Postharvest technologies and bio-preservation strategies in vegetables: Trends, challenges, and opportunities

Vegetables are highly perishable commodities that undergo rapid deterioration after harvest, leading to significant postharvest losses and reduced nutritional quality. In the context of global food security and sustainability, minimizing these losses through innovative postharvest technologies and biopreservation strategies has become a crucial focus. This review explores recent trends in postharvest handling, including cold chain management, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), edible coatings, and non-thermal preservation techniques. Additionally, the use of natural antimicrobials, plant-derived essential oils, and microbial biopreservatives such as lactic acid bacteria are discussed for their roles in enhancing shelf-life and food safety. Challenges such as scalability, consumer acceptance, regulatory compliance, and integration into existing value chains are also highlighted. This article provides insights into the future direction of research and development in postharvest vegetable preservation, promoting environmentally friendly and health-conscious alternatives to chemical preservatives. The adoption of such strategies could significantly reduce waste, improve marketability, and ensure the delivery of high-quality vegetables from farm to fork.