Browning inhibition of plant extracts on fresh‐cut fruits and vegetables—A review

Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are prone to browning which leads to quality decline, low acceptability, and food waste. Therefore, it is of great importance to study and alleviate the browning of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. Plant extracts, rich in bioactive compounds like polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, and other active ingredients, exhibit high antioxidant and anti-browning ability. Many traditional physical and chemical methods have been used to prevent browning and were considered to cause high safety risk, off-flavor, and nutrients loss. As an alternative, plant extracts are strongly preferred due to their natural and safe nature. This review systematically summarizes the most recently reported plant extracts on browning inhibition of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. It elaborates the type, anti-browning ability, extraction, and application techniques of plant extracts on fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. Moreover, the anti-browning mechanism is emphasized. This review provides new insight into the browning control of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. Novelty impact statement Plant extracts exhibited a potent browning inhibition on fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. They have a wide range of sources, rich bioactive components, low safety risk, less impact on product quality, and higher consumer acceptance compared with the chemical anti-browning agents. The application of plant extracts combined with new extraction techniques has a promising effect on browning inhibition and shelf-life extension of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. The action mechanism and prospect of plant extracts on browning inhibition of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are the main focus in this area.