Innovative breeding technologies in lettuce for improved post-harvest quality.

ABSTRACT: Societal awareness of healthy eating is increasing alongside the market for processed bagged salads, which remain as one of the strongest growing food sectors internationally, including most recently from indoor growing systems. Lettuce represents a significant proportion of this ready-to-eat salad market. However, such products typically have a short shelf life, with decay of post-harvest quality occurring through complex biochemical and physiological changes in leaves and resulting in spoilage, food waste and risks to health. We review the functional and quantitative genetic understanding of lettuce post-harvest quality, revealing that few findings have translated into improved cultivar development. We identify (i) phytonutrient status (for enhanced antioxidant and vitamin status, aroma

SUBMITTER: Damerum A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7397847 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature