Challenges of Postharvest Water Loss in Fruits: Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, and Effective Control Strategies – a Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Water loss is a critical concern in postharvest fruit technology, significantly impacting fruit quality, shelf life, and market value. This phenomenon involves the loss of moisture from fruit tissues, leading to physiological changes, reduced quality, and lower market value, which can contribute to food waste. Consumers perceive fruit with visible signs of water loss as lower quality. Therefore, minimizing water loss is essential through proper postharvest handling and storage practices, including temperature and humidity control, cooling, humidification, and the application of edible coatings and new modified coating techniques. Despite the importance of managing water loss, comprehensive information on its mechanisms and contributing factors in postharvest fruit technology is scarce. This paper aims to provide insights into the mechanisms, impact, influencing factors, and control strategies related to water loss in the context of postharvest fruit technology.