Research Progress on the Application of Low-Temperature Ethylene Oxidation Catalysts in Fruit and Vegetable Preservation

Abstract

Low concentrations of exogenous ethylene are one of the major causes for the quality deterioration of postharvest fruits and vegetables. Efficient removal of exogenous ethylene is key to solving this problem. At present, low-temperature catalytic oxidation technology is the most safe, efficient and economical method for removing low concentrations of exogenous ethylene in fruit and vegetable preservation scenarios. This review article focuses on the application of low-temperature ethylene oxidation catalysts in fruit and vegetable preservation, analyzes the mechanism of ethylene catalytic oxidation at low temperatures, and summarizes recent developments and future trends of various noble metal catalysts (Au, Ag, and Pt based catalysts). Moreover, based on the issue of catalyst deactivation, the reasons for the deactivation of low-temperature ethylene oxidation catalysts at low temperatures are discussed and possible solutions to solve this problem are presented. Finally, we give an outlook on the future development of low-temperature ethylene catalysts in order to provide assistance and new ideas for the development of stable and efficient low-temperature ethylene oxidation catalysts.

Keywords

• fruit and vegetable preservation; exogenous ethylene; low-temperature catalytic oxidation technology; catalytic reaction and deactivation mechanism; noble metal catalysts