ABSTRACT
Proteomics is the study of proteins found in all organisms, which deals with the identification, characterization and analysis of proteins. Recently, proteomic studies have been used in different fields such as biotechnology, food technology, and genetic engineering. In the last few years, application of proteomics in food technology is considered to be an eye opener. This chapter explores the various applications of proteomics and its tools in postharvest and food science. It also focuses on the application of proteomics in perishable fruits and the ripening of fruit after harvesting. Proteomics found its usage in the safety aspects of food in detecting the food allergens, pathogens, and adulterations in food, which is described in this chapter. There are several other applications of proteomics, especially in food processing, for example, wine processing, fermented foods, milk processing, and fish and meat processing, which are discussed in this chapter. It has its application in the detection of the quality of meat, poultry, and seafood, which are considered to be the richest sources of protein. In short, this chapter describes the various applications of proteomics in the field of postharvest and food science in recent years.
