Knowra Postharvest physiology Postharvest physiology Postharvest physiology studies the biological processes that continue in harvested plant products during storage and distribution, and how those processes affect quality, safety, and shelf life.
Plant respiration : The cellular process by which plants use oxygen to release energy from organic compounds, producing carbon dioxide and water. Respiration continues after harvest and consumes stored food reserves, hastening senescence.
Cold chain : A temperature-controlled system for storing and transporting perishable products from production to use. Maintaining suitable temperatures slows metabolism throughout postharvest distribution.
Plant tissue : A group of plant cells organized to perform particular functions. Harvested organs consist of living tissues whose structures shape their storage behavior.
Climacteric fruit : A fruit that undergoes a pronounced rise in respiration and ethylene production during ripening. Its ripening can continue after harvest and is often managed through ethylene control.
Ethylene : A gaseous plant hormone that regulates ripening, senescence, and responses to stress. Ethylene can trigger ripening and accelerate quality changes in many harvested fruits.
Controlled-atmosphere storage : Storage that regulates oxygen, carbon dioxide, and sometimes other gases around produce. Atmosphere control can slow respiration and ripening while avoiding damaging gas levels.
Plant hormone : A signaling molecule produced by plants that regulates growth, development, or responses to conditions. Hormone signaling coordinates ripening and aging after harvest.
Non-climacteric fruit : A fruit that lacks the pronounced respiratory and ethylene burst characteristic of climacteric ripening. Its postharvest ripening response differs from that of climacteric produce.
Fruit ripening : The coordinated changes that make a fruit softer, sweeter, more aromatic, and often differently colored as it matures. Ripening after harvest alters texture, flavor, color, and marketable life.
Modified-atmosphere packaging : Packaging that creates a changed gas composition around a product through respiration and selective gas exchange. Package gases influence produce respiration and shelf life during distribution.
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