Mthembu, Sisanda SibusisoMagwaza, Lembe SamukeloTesfay, Samson ZerayMditshwa, Asanda2024-09-302024-09-302024-08-26Mthembu SS, Magwaza LS, Tesfay SZ, Mditshwa A. (2024) Advancing fruit preservation: ecofriendly treatments for controlling fruit softening. Horticulturae, Volume 10, Issue 9, August 2024, Article number 9042311-7524https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090904https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/22986Textural softening is a major factor that limits the storage potential of fruit. Fresh produce markets incur severe financial losses due to excessive fruit softening. The application of preservation strategies aimed at mitigating fruit softening is crucial for optimising the marketability of fruit. Proposed preservation strategies include ecofriendly treatments, namely, hexanal, edible coatings, heat treatments, ozone and UV-C irradiation. These treatments optimise firmness retention by targeting the factors that affect fruit softening, such as ethylene, respiration rates, enzymes and pathogens. This review discusses the mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments inhibit fruit softening, providing insights into their effect on ethylene biosynthesis, cell wall metabolism and disease resistance. Although ecofriendly treatments offer a promising and sustainable approach for delaying fruit softening, the optimisation of treatment application protocols is needed to improve their efficacy in retaining fruit firmness. Studies reporting on the molecular mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments inhibit fruit softening are limited. Future studies should prioritise proteomic and transcriptome analyses to advance our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments delay the fruit-softening process.enAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/30 Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences3008 Horticultural Production30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciencesethylene biosynthesiscell wall metabolismgene expressionfirmnesslignin synthesisAdvancing fruit preservation: ecofriendly treatments for controlling fruit softeningArticle2311-7524552541904109