Fig. 3. Linking quality to physio-biological characteristics.

The physiological factors that confer produce quality (flavor, texture, shelf-life, aroma) are determined by the amount and interactions of metabolites, both primary and specialized, present in the various tissues. Texture and shelf-life are tightly connected to the cell wall and cuticle integrity, while flavor and aroma are linked to levels of sugars, acids, and other metabolic products. Biological changes in these factors due to the natural ripening-senescence transition or, due to postharvest handling, determine consumer acceptance