Postharvest losses of tomato: Causes, spoilage mechanisms, and advances in conventional and emerging technologies for preservation

Tomatoes are among the most consumed and economically important horticultural crops, yet their high perishability leads to substantial postharvest losses driven by physiological deterioration, pathogen infection, mechanical damage, and unsuitable storage conditions. This review explores current understanding of spoilage mechanisms in tomatoes and evaluates both conventional and emerging technologies for reducing losses and extending shelf-life. Conventional practices such as refrigeration, heat treatments, modified atmospheres, and chemical sanitizers offer some protection but are often limited by chilling injury, sensory decline, or regulatory and consumer concerns. Recent advances show that several nonthermal technologies, such as ultraviolet irradiation, cold plasma, pulsed electric fields, high hydrostatic pressure, ultrasound, electrolyzed water, micro and nanobubbles, ozone-based washes, and photocatalytic water treatments, can significantly reduce microbial load, delay ripening, and preserve key quality attributes such as firmness, color, lycopene content, and antioxidant capacity. Many of these interventions extend shelf-life by 3 to 40 days. Signaling compounds such as methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, nitric oxide, and chlorine dioxide further enhance stress tolerance by modulating ethylene biosynthesis, antioxidant defenses, and metabolic pathways. Advances in active and smart packaging systems, such as essential oil coatings, antimicrobial sachets, and temperature-responsive films, also reduce decay, weight loss, and chilling injury during distribution. The review highlights that combined treatments (for example, 1-methylcyclopropene with ascorbic acid or ultrasound with sanitizers) consistently outperform single interventions. Considerations of scalability, energy use, and regulatory compliance remain central to commercial adoption. These strategies support climate-resilient, low-emission tomato supply chains aligned with global sustainability and food security goals. • Key causes and mechanisms of postharvest spoilage in tomatoes were identified. • This review discussed the potentials for emerging washing technologies for reducing postharvest tomato losses. • Emerging non-thermal technologies can improve postharvest tomato preservation. • Postharvest management strategies must align with key sustainable development goals. • Energy efficient strategies are crucial for climate-resilient tomato value chains.