PROJECT

An important function of food processing techniques is to reduce postharvest losses in terms of quality and quantity. Good postharvest quality encompasses the acceptable visual, textural, nutritional, and flavor qualities of food, the absence of foodborne pathogens, as well as the delay of food spoilage by microorganisms. It has been observed that certain foods like leafy vegetables that are exposed to small quantities of light retain their quality better than when stored in the dark, but there is still a lack of clarity on the precise effect of light on postharvest quality of plants and fruits. As such, a greater understanding of the relationship between light and postharvest quality could potentially lead to useful postharvest applications.

Different analysis will be carried on through destructive and non-destructive measurements in order to check the different effects of LEDs on postharvest properties of fruits and vegetables. Some of the topics which will be considered are:

 -The possibility to delay senescence and enhancement of nutritional status of foods.

- Accelerating or delaying the ripening of fruits using LEDs.

- Preventing fungal spoilage through LEDs.

- General evaluation of LEDs in post-harvest preservation.

The project aims to define protocols of use of light before or during storage, providing specific indications on light intensity, duration and treatment cycles and optimal spectral composition.

Funding:

This research received funding from the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF), in the framework of the project “Light on Shelf Life” (CUP J56J20000410008).