Microgreens have gained attention in recent years, driven by the growing population and increasing awareness of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) as a sustainable farming method that can help reduce the carbon footprint. These small, delicate, nutrient-rich greens offer plenty of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, which make them a powerful tool to fight against various diseases. Along with their significant nutrient benefits, they offer taste and novelty to consumers by adding vibrant color and distant flavor to the culinary dishes. However, the high surface-to-volume ratio and respiration rate make them highly perishable. Similarly, the post-harvest losses can reach up to 10–30% during the handling and storage, depending on the practice employed. Furthermore, this chapter offers a comprehensive overview of various aspects of microgreens, focusing on harvesting, post-harvest handling, and minimal processing of microgreens. It also addresses the quality and safety considerations, followed by the different challenges and the advances in microgreen handling.

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Harvesting, Postharvest Handling, and Minimal Processing of Microgreens

  • Ankita Thakur,
  • Palvi,
  • Shubhum Singh Patel,
  • Kalp Das

摘要

Microgreens have gained attention in recent years, driven by the growing population and increasing awareness of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) as a sustainable farming method that can help reduce the carbon footprint. These small, delicate, nutrient-rich greens offer plenty of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, which make them a powerful tool to fight against various diseases. Along with their significant nutrient benefits, they offer taste and novelty to consumers by adding vibrant color and distant flavor to the culinary dishes. However, the high surface-to-volume ratio and respiration rate make them highly perishable. Similarly, the post-harvest losses can reach up to 10–30% during the handling and storage, depending on the practice employed. Furthermore, this chapter offers a comprehensive overview of various aspects of microgreens, focusing on harvesting, post-harvest handling, and minimal processing of microgreens. It also addresses the quality and safety considerations, followed by the different challenges and the advances in microgreen handling.