Hexanal nanotechnology: A sustainable strategy for extending the shelf-life and preserving the quality of fruits and vegetables

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The perishable nature of fruits and vegetables makes them difficult to preserve in terms of freshness and quality, resulting in significant losses along the value chain. Conventional preservation methods have constraints such as nutrient loss, short shelf-life, flavor changes, high production cost, and safety concerns. Hexanal, a naturally occurring compound, can inhibit spoilage mechanisms and extend shelf-life by suppressing ripening processes and microbial growth, offering the potential to overcome the constraints of traditional preservation techniques. This review provides insights into the principles, mechanisms, and effectiveness of hexanal nanotechnology in fruit and vegetable preservation. Recent studies demonstrated its effectiveness in extending shelf-life and preserving quality attributes are presented. Through a comprehensive review of the studies, the article highlights the potential impact of hexanal nanotechnology on the fruits and vegetables value chain. If harnessed properly, it has the capacity to improve farming productivity, decrease environmental impact, and increase the income of farmers and industry players. Biosafety studies have also indicated that hexanal and its carriers are biodegradable and do not pose a threat to the environment, making it safe for use. Moreover, challenges that need to be overcome for hexanal nanotechnology to reach its full potential in the fruit and vegetable industry, future research directions, as well as recommendations and strategies for implementation were discussed.