Innovative sustainable technologies to extend the shelf life of perishable Mediterranean fresh fruit, vegetables and aromatic plants and to reduce waste: the experience of Prima Stopmedwaste Project

Abstract

Postharvest losses of fruit, vegetables, and aromatic plants have high economic impact in the Mediterranean area and contribute to food waste. One of the United Nations Priorities, the ZeroHunger Challenge, consists of cutting food waste by half by 2030. StopMedWaste Project (2020-2024) see the interaction of 8 Research Units (UNIVPM, CUT, UNIBA, INRAT, UNITO, UE, IVIA, IKACHEM and DECCO) to join efforts to extend the shelf life of fresh fruit, vegetables, and aromatic plants by applying physical means, natural compounds and biocontrol agents. These treatments are being applied in the laboratory, under semicommercial conditions, and in the packinghouses. The effects of these treatments on fruit quality, decay, and development of foodborne pathogens are under monitoring during storage, transportation and shelf life, to define their impact on food waste. Results achieved till now showed the beneficial effects of treatment with physical means (ozone, electrolysed water, UVc), natural compounds (chitosan, essential oils, bicarbonates and other antifungal edible coatings), and biocontrol agents in improving the quality of fresh fruit (citrus, pomegranates, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, sweet cherries, strawberries, table grapes), vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers) and aromatic plants (spearmint, basil), that allowed to keep quality and reduce decay, and then waste. This work was conducted within the framework of the PRIMA StopMedWaste Project