Management of Postharvest Diseases via Eco-Friendly Technologies: A Review of Recent Research

Microbial diseases that emerge in fruits and vegetables during the postharvest period cause serious losses in product quality and, consequently, significant economic losses; this condition poses a worrying threat to global food safety and food security. These diseases shorten the shelf life of fruits and vegetables and negatively affect the microbiological and physical quality of food offered to consumers. Growing regulatory restrictions on conventional chemical management practices and growing social demand for healthy, environmentally friendly foods have necessitated the development of environmentally friendly alternative methods. In this context, sustainable technologies such as biological control agents, natural compounds, edible coatings, and physical applications play a significant role in enhancing food safety and food security and reducing postharvest losses. This review comprehensively looks at recently developed environmentally friendly practices and highlights current scientific trends toward effective and reliable management of postharvest diseases.