Oligosaccharide is a promising natural preservative for improving postharvest preservation of fruit: A review

Lack of proper postharvest management of fruits causes huge economic loss, increase poverty, hunger and malnutrition. To reduce postharvest losses, globally different postharvest technologies and synthetic chemical treatments were widely used, but some of them are reported to enhance the risk for human health and environment. Recently, oligosaccharides have attracted much attention because of their numerous health benefits, and potential applications in agriculture. Many previous reports demonstrated that oligosaccharides treatment improves the postharvest preservation of fruits and extend the shelf life. Oligosaccharides postharvest treatments maintained higher non enzymatic antioxidant activity, increased antioxidant activity, regulate hormone biosynthesis and delayed cell wall degradation. In this review, we systematically summarize and discuss the recent research findings concerning the preservation effects of different oligosaccharides, and their mechanism underlying delaying ripening and senescence of fruits during postharvest storage. Moreover, we provide future research direction for the utilization of oligosaccharides to improve postharvest preservation of fruits.

Automated summary

The lack of proper postharvest management of fruits leads to economic losses, poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. To address postharvest losses, various technologies and chemical treatments are used globally, but some may pose risks to human health and the environment. Recently, oligosaccharides have gained attention for their health benefits and potential applications in agriculture, showing promising results in improving postharvest preservation of fruits by maintaining antioxidant activity and delaying cell wall degradation through hormone regulation. This review provides insights into the preservation effects of different oligosaccharides on fruits and offers future research directions for enhancing postharvest preservation.