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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Kearneysville, West Virginia » Appalachian Fruit Research Laboratory » Innovative Fruit Production, Improvement, and Protection » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #337408
Title: The impact of the postharvest environment on the viability and virulence of decay fungi

Author
item LIU, JIA - Chongqing University
item SUI, YUAN - Chongqing University
item Wisniewski, Michael
item XIE, ZHIGANG - Chongqing University
item LIU, YIQING - Chongqing University
item YOU, YUMING - Chongqing University
item ZHANG, XIAJONG - Chongqing University
item SUN, ZHIQIANG - Chongqing University
item LI, WENHUA - Chongqing University
item LI, YAN - Chongqing University
item WANG, QI - Chongqing University

Submitted to: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/23/2017
Publication Date: 3/7/2017
Citation: Liu, J., Sui, Y., Wisniewski, M.E., Xie, Z., Liu, Y., You, Y., Zhang, X., Sun, Z., Li, W., Li, Y., Wang, Q. 2017. The impact of the postharvest environment on the viability and virulence of decay fungi. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2017.1279122.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Postharvest decay of fruits, vegetables, and grains by fungal pathogens causes significant economic losses. Infected produce presents a potential health risk since some decay fungi produce mycotoxins that are hazardous to human health. Infections are the result of the interplay between host resistance and pathogen virulence. Both of these processes, however, are significantly impacted by environmental factors, such as temperature, UV, oxidative stress and water activity. In the present review, the impact of various physical postharvest treatments (e.g., heat and UV) on the viability and virulence of postharvest pathogens is reviewed and discussed. Oxidative injury, protein impairment, and cell wall degradation have all been proposed as the mechanisms by which these abiotic stresses reduce fungal viability and pathogenicity. The response of decay fungi to pH and the ability of pathogens to modulate the pH of the host environment also affect pathogenicity. The effects of the manipulation of the postharvest environment by ethylene, natural edible coatings, and controlled atmosphere storage on fungal viability are also discussed. Lastly, avenues of future research are proposed.