Journal of Food Processing & Technology

The role of signaling molecules in postharvest life of fruits and vegetables

7^th Indo-Global Summit and Expo on Food & Beverages

October 08-10, 2015 New Delhi, India

Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui

Bihar Agricultural University, India

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

Fresh fruits and vegetables have a short postharvest life and are prone to postharvest losses due to mechanical injury, physiological causes and decay. Senescence is a vital aspect of fruit life cycles and directly affects quality and resistance to pathogens. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during postharvest primarily leads the oxidative damage in fruits and accelerates the ageing/ senescence. Therefore, delaying ripening and senescence is of utmost importance to be considered during postharvest. Several efforts have been suggested to enhance the shelf life and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables. The safety concerns, from the environmental and consumersâ?? point of view have restricted the use of synthetic chemicals which in turn encouraged scientific research to develop new technologies based on natural products to preserve the produce quality. The endogenous signaling molecules such as salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate and nitric oxide play important roles in regulating/enhancing defense responses during postharvest biotic and abiotic stresses. These signaling molecules have been identified to delay ripening process by inhibiting ethylene/CO2 production and microbial infection and maintain postharvest quality. So, using these eco-friendly molecules could be an effective option to curtail huge postharvest losses by maintaining the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables. The present article focuses on the recent advances in exploring the mechanisms of signaling molecules in regulating fruit senescence and microbial infection.

Biography :

Email: wasim_serene@yahoo.com