Post-harvest technologies applied to edible flowers: A review

ABSTRACT

This review intends to summarize the current knowledge on the post-harvest technologies applied to edible flowers, to help producers to increase their market share and to inform consumers on the technologies that are available to maintain edible flowers’ quality and safety. Emerging post-harvest technologies as High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) or irradiation have given good results. Freeze- or vacuum-drying has shown to be highly effective in the preservation of flowers’ bioactive compounds in comparison with classical drying approaches. While osmotic dehydration is already in use, the application of edible coatings and films can be a healthier alternative, without increasing solute contents.

KEYWORDS:

• Drying
• edible flowers
• high hydrostatic pressure
• post-harvest technologies
• shelf-life

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for the financial support provided by the research grant SFRH/BD/95853/2013 and FCT/MEC for the financial support to QOPNA research Unit [FCT UID/QUI/00062/2013], through national funds and when applicable co-financed by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement, and to REQUIMTE through the Project PEst/UID/QUI/50006/2013. The authors are also grateful to FCT (Portugal) and FEDER under Program PT2020 for financial support to CIMO [UID/AGR/00690/2013].