Recent advances in physical treatments of papaya fruit for postharvest quality retention: A review

Papaya is a luscious tropical fruit loaded with vitamins and phytochemicals. The climacteric nature of fruit exposes it to numerous postharvest pathogens. Postharvest physical treatments are safer and greener approaches to mitigate the losses and bridge the gap between demand and supply of fruit. These treatments preserve the fruit quality during extended periods of cold storage and maintain shelf life. Nonetheless, prestorage physical treatments can positively impact the postharvest food value of fresh papaya fruits. This review summarizes the major advances in the field of postharvest physical treatments on papaya postharvest quality. Physical treatments include ozonation, irradiation, thermal and low-temperature treatment, and synergistic effect among different physical treatments and also the synergetic effect of physical treatments with chemicals, essential oils, and coating materials on quality retention and disease management. The potential physiological, biochemical, microbiological, enzymatic, and biotechnological mechanisms of different physical treatments are reviewed. The review primarily highlights the changes induced due to physical treatment on genetic, biochemical, and physicochemical properties of papaya fruit. Most treatments positively impact the esthetic and nutritional value of fruit by reducing disease severity, physiological loss in weight, preserving physicochemical attributes, and retaining natural gloss and color. Use of physical interventions in papaya vouch for a safer, sustainable, and premium quality produce in the global market. Physical treatments enhance the physicochemical properties of papaya. Physical treatments induce host disease resistance. Physical treatments also reduce the disease incidence directly by lysing the pathogen. Physical treatments enhance the overall quality and shelf life of papaya.image