Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.)
is a non-climacteric
vegetable, well-known for its nutritional properties. Asparagus is
consumed either fresh, frozen, or processed into canned food. Fresh
asparagus has a short shelf life due to its high respiration rates,
which results in asparagus quality loss. Asparagus quality loss is
also associated with the development of physiological disorders (i.e.,
stem discoloration, bract opening, and toughening) during postharvest
storage. The current study reviews various sustainable postharvest
treatments that can be applied to minimize asparagus postharvest losses
by controlling the development of physiological disorders. The mechanisms
of action of sustainable treatments and the mechanisms involved in
physiological disorder development are comprehensively discussed.
Packaging, edible coatings, washing with environmentally and human-friendly
compounds, storage in a controlled atmosphere, heat treatment, ultrasound
treatment, and electrostatic atomized water particle treatments can
successfully maintain asparagus quality. Multidisciplinary studies
are encouraged to investigate the mechanism of action of sustainable
treatments.