Scope of Nanoemulsions for Quality and Safety of Fruits and Vegetables: Nanotechnology and Essential Oils

Fruits and vegetables act as abundant reserves of bioactive compounds with positive health outcomes. However, a vast majority of fruits and vegetables are lost to the waste bins in the absence of adequate protection against factors causing quality defects in these commodities. Postharvest and during storage, fruits and vegetables undergo certain physical, biochemical, and biological processes that cause a loss in texture, color, sensory appeal, and nutritional value along with harboring a plethora of micro-organisms that can cause spoilage and be pathogenic as well, requiring novel preservation technologies. Among the emerging technologies, the application of nanoemulsions to extend shelf-life and preserve the quality of fruits and vegetables has taken up successfully in recent decades. It involves the application of antimicrobials and antioxidants, where the nanoemulsions act as their carriers. Various bioactive compounds encapsulated in nanoemulsions include antimicrobial and antioxidant essential oils and plant extracts. The nanoreduction of these active ingredients is known to enhance their stability, solubility, and activity attributed to their reach over an increased surface area. Nanoemulsions are applied as an edible coating on horticultural produce creating a 210microenvironment around them and consequently arresting the stimuli antagonistic to their quality.