**Abstract**

Strawberry is famous for its unique flavor and delicacy among the consumers all around the world. Nowadays, the concept of postharvest management is not only confined to preserving the nutritional attributes but also extended up to flavor that includes aroma. Strawberry is a nonclimacteric fruit and its short storage life and strategic sales in the market after harvest had compelled researchers to utilize technologies like cool store, modified atmospheric packaging, controlled atmospheric storage, different packaging systems, fumigation with nitric oxide, and diversified chemical treatments to preserve fruits for longer time. To apply or innovate new technology to extend life of strawberry fruits in the postharvest area, it is necessary to understand the physiology and biochemistry of fruits. This chapter reviews fruit physiology, recent trends, and future prospects in the postharvest management of strawberry.

**Keywords:** strawberry, postharvest, flavor, quality, packaging, storage, chemical treatment

### **1. Introduction**

Strawberry (*Fragaria* × *ananassa*) belongs to family Rosaceae. It is cultivated throughout the world. Fruits have high vitamin C content which are consumed fresh. They are also processed into pastry or pie filling mostly. They provide great health benefits. Regular consumption of anthocyanins (found in berries) reduces the risk of heart attack. The antioxidants (like kaempferol, quercetin and anthocyanins) which are present in fruits reduce the formation of harmful blood clots which are associated with strokes. The antioxidants neutralize free radicals present in human body, inhibit tumor growth, and decrease inflammation in the body. Strawberry consumption decreases the rick of heart stroke due to high potassium content. For the above reason, strawberries were suggested to the people with blood pressure. It also counteracts the effects of sodium in the human body. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, less than two of American adults meet the daily 4700 mg recommendation for potassium (K+ ). Strawberries are a smart fruit choice for diabetics as they have a lower glycemic index (40) than many other fruits.

Strawberries are low-growing herbaceous plants. Roots are fibrous in nature; basal leaves arise from crown, which are compound. Flowers are generally white, rarely reddish, are borne in small clusters on slender stalks arising from the axils of the leaves which look like the surface-creeping stems. As a plant ages, the root system becomes woody, vegetative propagation occurs from the "mother" crown which sends out runners (e.g., stolons) that touch ground and root. Botanically, the fruit of strawberry is "accessory fruit" and is not a true berry. The flesh consists of the greatly enlarged flower receptacle in which many true fruits, or achenes, are embedded, which are popularly called seeds.

Strawberries are commercially cultivated both for immediate consumption and for processing as frozen, canned, or preserved berries or as juice. Due to the perishable nature of the berries and the improbability of mechanical picking, the fruit is generally grown near centers of consumption or processing and where sufficient labor is available. The berries are handpicked directly into small baskets and crated for marketing or put into trays for processing. Early crops can be produced under controlled conditions (glass or plastic covering). Strawberries are very perishable and require cool dry storage.

To innovate a new technology for extending storage life of strawberry fruits in the postharvest area, it is necessary to understand the physiology and biochemistry of fruits. This chapter reviews fruit physiology, recent trends and future prospects in postharvest management of strawberry.
