Natural Plant Extracts: An Update about Novel Spraying as an Alternative of Chemical Pesticides to Extend the Postharvest Shelf Life of Fruits and Vegetables
Muhammad Umar Shahbaz,
Mehwish Arshad,
Kinza Mukhtar,
Brera Ghulam Nabi,
Gulden Goksen,
Małgorzata Starowicz,
Asad Nawaz,
Ishtiaq Ahmad,
Noman Walayat,
Muhammad Faisal Manzoor,
Rana Muhammad Aadil
Affiliations
Muhammad Umar Shahbaz
Plant Pathology Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Mehwish Arshad
National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Kinza Mukhtar
National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Brera Ghulam Nabi
National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Gulden Goksen
Department of Food Technology, Vocational School of Technical Sciences at Mersin Tarsus Organized Industrial Zone, Tarsus University, Mersin 33100, Turkey
Małgorzata Starowicz
Department of Chemistry and Biodynamics of Food, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, 10-784 Olsztyn, Poland
Asad Nawaz
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Ishtiaq Ahmad
College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
Noman Walayat
College of Food Science and Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
Muhammad Faisal Manzoor
School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Rana Muhammad Aadil
National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Fresh fruits and vegetables, being the source of important vitamins, minerals, and other plant chemicals, are of boundless importance these days. Although in agriculture, the green revolution was a milestone, it was accompanied by the intensive utilization of chemical pesticides. However, chemical pesticides have hazardous effects on human health and the environment. Therefore, increasingly stimulating toward more eco-friendly and safer alternatives to prevent postharvest losses and lead to improving the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. Proposed alternatives, natural plant extracts, are very promising due to their high efficacy. The plant-based extract is from a natural source and has no or few health concerns. Many researchers have elaborated on the harmful effects of synthetic chemicals on human life. People are now much more aware of safety and health concerns than ever before. In the present review, we discussed the latest research on natural alternatives for chemical synthetic pesticides. Considering that the use of plant-based extracts from aloe vera, lemongrass, or neem is non-chemical by-products of the fruits and vegetable industry, they are proved safe for human health and may be integrated with economic strategies. Such natural plant extracts can be a good alternative to chemical pesticides and preservatives.
