Phytochemicals in Fruit and Vegetables: Health Promotion and Postharvest Elicitors

Abstract

Inverse associations between fruit and vegetable intake and chronic diseases, such as different types of cancer and cardiovascular disease, have been demonstrated in numerous epidemiological studies. Phytochemicals have been indicated to be responsible for this observed protective effect. Application of postharvest elicitors can trigger distinct changes in the plant's secondary metabolism. Thus, targeted postharvest elicitor treatments may be used to obtain fruit and vegetables enriched with phytochemicals for sale as fresh market products or used as raw material for functional foods and supplements, thereby promoting higher consumption of these health-promoting substances. Referee: Professor Charles A. Sims, Chair, Food Science and Human Nutrition POB 110370, University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville, FL 32611-0370 Keywords: signaling moleculestemperatureheat treatmentUV treatmentgamma irradiationgas compositionripening stage Notes Referee: Professor Charles A. Sims, Chair, Food Science and Human Nutrition POB 110370, University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville, FL 32611-0370