Fruit and vegetables (F&V) are vastly complicated products with highly diverse chemical and structural characteristics. Advanced imaging techniques either combine imaging with spectral information or can provide excellent tissue penetration, and enable the possibility to target, visualize and even qualify the chemical and physical (structural) heterogeneity within F&V. In this review, visible and/or near infrared hyperspectral imaging, Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopic imaging, Raman imaging, X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging to reveal chemical and structural information in a spatial context of F&V at the macro- (entire products), meso- (tissues), and micro- (individual cells) scales are comprehensively summarized. In addition, their basic concepts and operational procedures, particularly sample preparation and instrumental parameter adjustments, are addressed. Finally, future challenges and perspectives of these techniques are put forward. These imaging techniques are powerful tools to assess the biochemical and structural heterogeneity of F&V. Cost reduction, sensor fusion and data sharing platforms are future trends. More emphasis on aspects of knowledge and extension at the level of academia and research, especially on how to select techniques, choose operational parameters and prepare samples, are important to overcome barriers for the wider adoption of these techniques to improve the evaluation of F&V quality.
Hyperspectral imaging reveals chemical heterogeneity of fruit and vegetables.Imaging techniques provide spatial insights in fruit and vegetables at multiple scales.Future trends are cost reduction, sensor fusion and data sharing.Instrumental adjustment and sample preparation should receive more attention.

Utilizing plant-based sources for the preservation of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables offers a natural and chemical-free method. However, the inherent instability of plant bioactive compounds underscores the necessity for encapsulation techniques. Essential oil-based nanoemulsions (EO-NEs) stand out among food additives due to their distinctive antibacterial and antioxidant properties. This review delves into recent advancements in the application of EO-NEs as edible coatings for fresh and fresh-cut produce. It examines the efficacy of EO-NEs in enhancing the preservation of fruits and vegetables by harnessing their bioactive compounds for antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. Additionally, the review accentuates the efficacy of EO-NEs in inhibiting biofilm formation on fruits and vegetables. It reveals that coatings derived from plant-source nanoemulsions exhibit exceptional mechanical, optical, and microstructural qualities, as well as superior water barrier properties. In contrast to conventional emulsions, nanocoatings facilitate the gradual and controlled release of antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds during food storage. This feature enhances bioactivity, extends shelf life, and enhances the nutritional profile of products. By preserving and protecting shelf stability, EO-NEs contribute to the maintenance of vegetable freshness. Nonetheless, ensuring their commercial viability necessitates additional research into the toxicity of EO-based nanoemulsions.

A new method combining ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry and MoO3- x nanosheets was developed for the rapid and accurate determination of ascorbic acid (AA) content in fruit and vegetables in this study. MoO3- x nanosheets were prepared by the liquid exfoliation method using AA as the reducing agent, and the content of AA can be determined by a UV spectrophotometer. Experimental conditions for the MoO3- x nanosheet method, including grinding time, ethanol concentration, sonication time, and water bath temperature were also optimized. The morphology of MoO3- x nanosheets was characterized by atomic force microscope. The results showed that the average thickness of MoO3- x nanosheets was 2.1-5.8 nm. The MoO3- x nanosheets method had a good linearity in the AA concentration range of 0.01-0.05 mg/ml (R2  = 0.9996). The limit of detection was 0.031 µg/ml, and the limit of quantitation was 0.095 µg/ml. The spiked recoveries were in the range of 88.79%-116.76%. The MoO3- x nanosheets method was validated for the determination of AA content in five different fruit and vegetables samples with relative standard deviations less than 2%.

As a ubiquitous and essential part of phytophysiology, phytohormones have attracted tremendous attention for effective regulation of development and senescence of agricultural products. However, the postharvest mechanisms of phytohormones have not been thoroughly understood. This review provides an overview of common phytohormones for extending the shelf life of fruit and vegetables. The modulation principles are discussed in detail based on defence gene expression activation, sensitivity of senescence-related phytohormones inhibition, antioxidant enzymes activity stimulation, and cell membrane integrity maintenance. The applications of jasmonates, salicylic acids, cytokinins, gibberellins, polyamines, and brassinosteroids in preserving fruit and vegetables based on defence signaling network stimulation, senescence-related phytohormones expression or sensitivity repression, as well as antioxidant system enhancement and cell membrane integrity sustentation are introduced. The challenges and problems to be solved are discussed, and new trends of expanding lifespan by combining phytohormones with other treatments are also suggested. Although phytohormones have been demonstrated to have promising efforts in maintaining agricultural products, more novel and effective combination treatments should be developed to complement each other.

In recent years, applications of cold plasma treatments have shown high efficiency in sterilization of fresh fruit and vegetables. With encouraging results, development of this technique focuses on influences of cold plasma on the quality attributes of these fresh produce. More studies found that the quality attributes are maintained in an acceptable range or can even be improved under certain plasma treatment conditions. This review provides an overview of the multiple effects of cold plasma on the fresh produce, in terms of physical, chemical and physiological aspects. Besides, the possible mechanisms of how plasma influences these quality attributes is elaborated, which is useful for further modification and improvement of the plasma technology, so that quality enhancement and shelf life extension can be achieved. Future trends in the development of cold plasma technology are also presented. Cold plasma treatment is a potential technology for treating fresh fruit and vegetables to enhance their quality and extend their shelf life. However, knowledge of the effects of cold plasma on the quality changes of fresh fruit and vegetables is still limited. Therefore, there is a need for future studies to understand the mechanisms of plasma effects on controlling the interactions between plasma and food products in order to realize the early adoption of the technology to the food industry.

The phytohormone ethylene is the main cause of postharvest spoilage of fruit and vegetables (F&V). To address the global challenge of reducing postharvest losses of F&V, effective management of ethylene is of great importance. This review summarizes the various ethylene scavengers/inhibitors and emerging technologies recently developed for the effective removal of ethylene released, paying particular attention to the ethylene scavenger/inhibitors containing catalysts to promote the in-situ oxidation of ethylene without inducing further pollution. Packing ethylene scavengers, such as zeolite, titanium dioxide and transition metals, in a small sachet has been practically used and widely reported. However, incorporating ethylene scavenger into food packaging materials or films along with the in-situ oxidation of ethylene has been rarely reviewed. The current review fills up this gap, covering the latest research progress on ethylene scavengers/inhibitors and discussion on the mechanisms of ethylene elimination and oxidation associated with F&V packaging.

Evidence on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption (FV) and mental health in adolescence is sparse and inconsistent. Social determinants of FV include ethnicity, family environments and economic disadvantage. We investigated the relationship between FV and mental health in the British multi-ethnic Determinants of Adolescents (now young Adult) Social well-being and Health (DASH) longitudinal study.
A longitudinal study of 4683 adolescents living in London at age 11-13 years and followed up at 14-16 years. FV was measured using validated questions on the number of portions consumed daily. Mental health was measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as mean Total Difficulties Score (TDS) and by classification as a \'probable clinical case\' (TDS > 17). Social measures included ethnicity, parenting and socioeconomic circumstances. Multilevel modelling was used to investigate the association between FV and mental health throughout adolescence.
Low FV was common among adolescents, with approximately 60-70% of adolescents reporting < 5 portions/day and 20-30% reporting < 1 portion/day. In late adolescence, most ethnic minority groups reported lower FV than their White peers. In fully adjusted models, < 1 portion/day remained a significant correlate with mean TDS (Coef: 0.55, 0.29-0.81, P < 0.001) and TDS > 17 (Odds Ratio: 1.43, 1.11-1.85, P = 0.007). Gender- or ethnic-specific effects were not observed. Low parental care partly attenuated the association between FV and mental health.
Low FV is a longitudinal correlate of poor mental health across adolescence. A focus on FV in parenting interventions could yield interrelated benefits across developmental outcomes given its importance to both physical and socioemotional health.

Vacuum cooling is a rapid cooling method widely used in cooling some food products. Simulating the vacuum cooling process with mathematical models helps to acquire a more intuitive understanding and optimize the whole cooling process. However, there is no review summarizing the mathematical models of vacuum cooling. In this review, heat and mass transfer process during vacuum cooling, types of mathematical models for vacuum cooling, and numerical methods including finite difference method, finite element method and finite volume method used for process simulation are introduced in details. The food products used in numerical simulation study of vacuum cooling generally include liquid food, vegetables and cooked meat. The ranges of application of various numerical methods are also discussed. Moreover, heat and mass transfer coefficients have a great influence on the accuracy of the model, and are generally provided by the literature. The investigations presented in this review invariably demonstrate that mathematical modeling can provide good prediction of key information of vacuum cooling process, and has a great potential to improve vacuum cooling process in the food industry. However, more efforts are still needed to realize the industrial translation of laboratory results.

OBJECTIVE: Findings regarding the benefits of fruit and vegetables (FV) on weight control are inconsistent and little is known among Chinese populations. Therefore, we examined the relationship between change in FV consumption, weight, and change in body mass index (BMI) among Chinese adults, participants of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS).
METHODS: A prospective cohort study.
METHODS: Two waves of CHNS conducted in 2006 and 2011 were used. Continuous FV consumption increase was considered as the exposure and changes in weight and BMI as outcomes. Change in FV consumption was categorized into quintiles. Analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression models, after controlling for potential confounders such as energy intake, physical activity, and smoking, were used to describe the relationship between change in FV consumption and change in weight and BMI.
RESULTS: A total of 4357 participants aged 18-65 years were included in this study. The respective weight and BMI gains in male individuals were 1.81 kg and 0.73 kg/m2 in the fifth quintile of FV change relative to individuals in the first quintile (3.67 kg for weight gain and 1.48 kg/m2 for BMI gain). An increase in FV consumption by 100 g was associated with a 211 g weight loss (B = -2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], -3.34, -0.89, P < 0.001) and a decrease in BMI by 0.94 kg/m2 (B = -0.94; 95% CI, -1.36, -0.46, P < 0.001) in men; and a 140 g weight loss (B = -0.14; 95% CI, -0.97, 0.69, P = 0.74) and a decrease in BMI by 0.29 kg/m2 BMI (B = -0.29; 95% CI, -0.63, 0.06, P = 0.11) in women.
CONCLUSIONS: Increase in FV consumption was associated with statistically significant weight loss and decrease in BMI among Chinese men, and, although suggested, weight loss among women was not significant. Considering the protective effect of FV on human health, increasing FV consumption in the Chinese population is recommended.

No quantitative assessment has been performed to specifically link the consumption of fruit and vegetables with the incident risk of cognitive disorders.
We searched the PubMed and the Embase databases (both from the inception to June 13th, 2016) for records that report the intake of fruit and vegetables and the risk of developing cognitive disorders (Alzheimer\'s disease, dementia, and cognitive decline/impairment). A generic inverse-variance method (random-effects model) was used to combine the relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). To explore the potential sources of heterogeneity, we performed the subgroup and meta-regression analyses by pre-specified characteristics.
We identified 6 cohorts involving a total of 21,175 participants. The pooled analysis showed that consumption of fruit and vegetables was inversely associated with the incident risk of cognitive disorders, and the pooled RR (95% CI) was 0.74 (0.62, 0.88), with evidence of significant heterogeneity (I2 =68%). Furthermore, we found that the significant heterogeneity might be attributed to the ethnic difference.
Further large prospective studies should be performed to quantify the potential dose-response patterns of fruit and/or vegetables intake and to explore the role of fruit or vegetables consumption separately on cognitive disorders in different populations.