Commercial techniques for preserving date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit quality and safety: A review

Abstract

The popularity of date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera ) fruit is increasing, therefore the demand for high-quality date palm fruit with less or no chemical treatment is the topic of interest for date producers and consumers. The quality of date palm fruit is much dependent on its postharvest handling and processing. For preventing the degradation and maintenance of the high quality of dates during the storage an appropriate harvest and post-harvest processes are required. The process should control the biotic and abiotic factors like insects, fungus, temperature, as well as handling and processing of dates. Therefore, in this work, we reviewed the literature related to the protection of date fruits during their post-harvest life. The commercially viable advance and updated techniques that can be used to avoid storage losses and problems while keeping fruit quality (nutritional, color, flavor, and texture) and microbial safety under optimal conditions are discussed.

Investigating the Efficacy of Tasmannia lanceolata Extract in Inactivating Fungi and Prolonging the Shelf Life of Date Fruit

“…There are different methods to preserve date fruits, such as refrigeration (by slowing down enzymatic reactions as well as the activity of microbes life), fumigation (killing insects at various stages of development), heat treatment (controls the Nitidulidae beetles by ensuring 100% mortality), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) (to preserve the quality maintenance of dates with limited effects on the appearance of physiological disorder signs), edible coating (by improving the appearance of dates, protecting the fruits and reducing stickiness in case of soft dates), Ozone(O 3 ) treatment (reduces or eliminates all life stages of Indian meal moth and sawtooth grain beetle), electron-Beams, the UV-C light (lethal to most of the microorganisms) and electrolyzed water [ 1 ].…”

“…This shelf life limitation could be the main challenge for farmers and marketers during transport, storage, and export. Microbial contamination of dates can happen at different post-harvest stages during improper handling, transportation, and under poor storage conditions with fluctuating temperatures [ 1 ]. The contamination in dates is due to a mixture of bacteria and fungi.…”

The Occurrence of Aflatoxins in Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Worldwide

“…Recently, the use of nanotechnology innovations has been reported to be an effective technique for preserving date palms. For example, the use of edible films and coatings made from chitosan nanoparticles as antifungal materials has been proven to improve the storability of fruits, including date palms [49,50].…”

Prediction of Date Fruit Quality Attributes during Cold Storage Based on Their Electrical Properties Using Artificial Neural Networks Models

“…Optimal relative humidity helps prevent weight loss, the spread of fungal diseases, and physiological disorders [ 5 , 15 ]. Lowering these factors to a suitable level is one approach to slow down the deterioration of fruits and hence increase the fruit preservation time during storage [ 16 , 17 ]. Every fruit has a ‘critical temperature’ below or above where unfavorable and irreversible chemical reactions occur.…”