Sustainable solutions for food security: Evaluating pre-treatment technologies in the growing fruits and vegetables industry of India

The fruits and vegetables industry in India is experiencing significant growth and is considered an emerging and fast-expanding sector. However, food waste, scarcity, safety, and security are pressing issues that need attention. With the current levels of dearth in fruits and vegetables, establishing a well-designed supply chain is crucial to ensuring food security for the growing population and improving farmers' livelihoods and incomes. Research and investigations on the pre-treatment of fruits and vegetables have highlighted the substantial losses and wastage, contributing to India's food security challenges. The primary purpose of pre-treatment is to prolong the shelf life of vegetables and fruits and minimize losses due to spoilage. Various pre-treatment procedures involve physical, chemical, physiochemical, and biological approaches. This review focuses on the technologies implemented for pre-treatments, including osmotic dehydration, ethylene and CO 2 treatments, high-pulsed electric field techniques, and other modern drying methods. By exploring these technologies, we aim to find effective solutions to address food security concerns and improve the freshness and longevity as well as the quality of fruits and vegetables in India's supply chain. Implementing efficient pre-treatment methods can contribute significantly to reducing food waste, ensuring a stable food supply, and supporting the sustainable growth of the fruit and vegetable industry in the country.