Abstract:

Color is one of the main sensory qualities of fruits and vegetables, and it is also a crucial parameter for consumers
to judge the maturity, freshness, commercial acceptability and nutritional value of fruits and vegetables. Color diversity in
postharvest fruits and vegetables is due to the differential accumulation of three main classes of pigments: chlorophylls,
carotenoids and anthocyanins. The classical red, orange, yellow, green, blue or purple coloration of fruits and vegetables is
due to the metabolism of those pigments. Besides, the color change phenomena of postharvest fruits and vegetables, such
as degreening, browning, yellowing and whitening, are also closely related to the metabolism of pigments. Hence, it is
important to understand pigment metabolism and its regulation in postharvest fruits and vegetables. This paper summarizes
the effects of physical factors, chemical factors and biotechnology on the coloration of postharvest fruits and vegetables, and
the underlying mechanisms are also reviewed in this paper, aiming to provide theoretical references for further research on
the general rule and regulation of pigment metabolism in postharvest fruits and vegetables.

Key words: fruits and vegetables, pigments, chlorophylls, carotenoids, anthocyanins, regulation