Postharvest handling and shelf life of edible flowers

After a few days from harvest, varying according to the species, edible flowers begin to wither, dehydrate, and discolour. Along with the decrease in visual appearance, a loss of nutraceutical contents occurs, causing an overall loss of quality. Therefore, it becomes necessary to adopt pre- and post-harvest strategies to prolong their shelf life, both preserving the organoleptic and nutraceutical characteristics. Before harvesting, good agricultural practices such as adequate mineral nutrition and irrigation, and pest and disease control need to be applied as they can greatly influence both produce quality and longevity. The harvesting procedure itself is also a fundamental aspect to be considered. After harvesting, external factors, among which mainly temperature, can induce changes in edible flowers’ senescence. The main strategies used to delay the metabolism of edible flowers are preservation at low temperatures through refrigeration and freezing. Other opportunities to delay quality loss are represented by controlled and modified atmosphere packaging, and edible films and coatings, which act as a barrier against gas exchange and the growth of microorganisms. This chapter deals with the most recent knowledge that has been developed to maintain all the properties and quality of fresh edible flowers for a long time, extending their marketability.