Abstract: The exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) in fruits and vegetables are nano-scale extracellular vesicles released by fruit and vegetable cells, with similar structures to the exosomes of mammal cells, and have significantly varying lipid, protein and nucleic acid profiles as well as unique biological functions. In this review, the progress that has been made in studies on the ELNs in dozens of fruits and vegetables since 2013 are summarized with a special focus on the methods used for ELNs extraction and characterization and on the differences in the chemical profiles including lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids of ELNs from different plant sources. Also, the potential health benefits and application as drug carriers of these ELNs are reviewed. This article is expected to provide enlightenments for further investigations on ELNs from fruits and vegetables.

Key words: extracellular vesicles; exosomes; fruits and vegetables; carrier