ABSTRACT
The world’s demand for fresh fruit and vegetables is increasing significantly recently due to their functional and beneficial properties for healthy humans; they carry numerous substances of biological importance (e.g., polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, essential oils). However, because of the high losses after harvest, the food industry is focusing on technologies that increase shelf life, safety, and security. Nanotechnology is an emerging technology that has dramatically impacted the conservation of fresh and minimally processing horticultural produce; this allows active components to be transported in different nanosystems to modify the stability, protection, and controlled release of an active component to increase the shelf life when these are released and interact with cell components. The principal substances trapped in nanosystems are essential oils, phenols, flavonoids, and other natural extracts with high antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities. This active component has a beneficial effect and enables targeted delivery at different handling stages in the commercialization of horticultural produce. This chapter describes the different nanosystems functionalized with active components and their applications on quality control that increase horticultural produce’s shelf life.
