Essential oils for sustainable postharvest management of fungal pathogens: recent advances and future prospects

Abstract

ABSTRACT Postharvest fungal diseases are major contributors to global losses of fruits and vegetables, while excessive reliance on synthetic fungicides has raised concerns regarding resistance development, environmental contamination, and food safety. Essential oil derived from aromatic plants have emerged as promising natural alternatives due to their broad-spectrum antifungal activity, biodegradability, and Generally Recognized as Safe status. This review critically evaluates recent advances in essential oil-based postharvest disease management, focusing on antifungal mechanisms, application strategies, formulation technologies, and commercialization challenges. Essential oils inhibit fungal pathogens through membrane disruption, inhibition of spore germination and enzymatic activity, induction of oxidative stress, and alteration of cell wall integrity. Recent developments in edible coatings, nanoencapsulation, fumigation systems, and biodegradable delivery platforms have improved essential oil stability, controlled release, and practical applicability. However, large-scale adoption remains constrained by variability in essential oil composition, formulation costs, phytotoxicity risks, regulatory inconsistencies, and limited industrial scalability. Future research should prioritize mechanistic validation under commercial conditions, standardization of formulations, safety assessment of nano-enabled systems, and development of cost-effective application technologies. Essential oil-based preservation systems have strong potential as sustainable alternatives to improve food safety, reduce postharvest losses, and support environmentally responsible agriculture.