Editorial: Advances in detection and control of post-harvest pathogens

Postharvest pathogens can cause disease in harvested products during transportation, handling, packaging, and storage. Such pathogens can cause serious damage in the fresh produce supply chain, with postharvest losses of fresh fruit and vegetables estimated to be up to 50%. Rotting is a major issue in such losses, being caused mainly by fungal pathogens after fruit ripening (Junior et al., 2019). For fresh produce, heat-based treatments are difficult to apply during the postharvest packing process. Current processes usually rely on washing, which can enhance contamination or leave the produce vulnerable to contamination. Inadequate storage of fresh produce may also provide ideal conditions for pathogens to grow. However, advances in detection and control methods have greatly improved our ability to manage these pathogens (Teixeira et al., 2021). Further research is needed to develop more sustainable and environmentally friendly methods for controlling these pathogens (Salem et al., 2016). Traditional testing methods for postharvest pathogens can take days to produce results, which can lead to significant losses. However, rapid testing methods such as PCR and ELISA can detect pathogens in just a few hours, allowing for quicker identification and control (Woan-Fei Law et al., 2015). The aim of this Research Topic was to further understanding of bacteria and fungi causing post-harvest disease, and present future directions to improve the detection and control of such pathogens.