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2025 Vol.7, Issue 3 Preview Page

Review Article

Hexanal nanotechnology: A sustainable strategy for extending the shelf-life and preserving the quality of fruits and vegetables
Yauba Dembo Idris12
,
Tusan Park345*
1Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), Federal Republic of Nigeria
2Department of Food Security and Agricultural Development, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
3Department of Smart Bio-Industrial Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
4Smart Agriculture Innovation Center, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
5Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
*Corresponding Author
30 September 2025. pp. 228-242
PDF XML Citation
Abstract

The perishable nature of fruits and vegetables makes them difficult to preserve in terms of freshness and quality, resulting in significant losses along the value chain. Conventional preservation methods have constraints such as nutrient loss, short shelf-life, flavor changes, high production cost, and safety concerns. Hexanal, a naturally occurring compound, can inhibit spoilage mechanisms and extend shelf-life by suppressing ripening processes and microbial growth, offering the potential to overcome the constraints of traditional preservation techniques. This review provides insights into the principles, mechanisms, and effectiveness of hexanal nanotechnology in fruit and vegetable preservation. Recent studies demonstrated its effectiveness in extending shelf-life and preserving quality attributes are presented. Through a comprehensive review of the studies, the article highlights the potential impact of hexanal nanotechnology on the fruits and vegetables value chain. If harnessed properly, it has the capacity to improve farming productivity, decrease environmental impact, and increase the income of farmers and industry players. Biosafety studies have also indicated that hexanal and its carriers are biodegradable and do not pose a threat to the environment, making it safe for use. Moreover, challenges that need to be overcome for hexanal nanotechnology to reach its full potential in the fruit and vegetable industry, future research directions, as well as recommendations and strategies for implementation were discussed.

Keywords
Hexanal nanotechnology
Shelf-life
Preservation
Quality
Fruits and vegetables
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Information
  • Publisher :Korean Society of Precision Agriculture
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국정밀농업학회
  • Journal Title :Precision Agriculture Science and Technology
  • Journal Title(Ko) :정밀농업과학기술
  • Volume : 7
  • No :3
  • Pages :228-242
  • Received Date : 2025-08-25
  • Revised Date : 2025-09-17
  • Accepted Date : 2025-09-18
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.22765/pastj.20250017
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