Mango fruits are highly susceptible to infection by Colletotrichum species, leading to the severe economic losses. In this study, an antagonist of Paenibacillus polymyxa ZJU11 with strong biocontrol activity was identified and its antifungal mechanisms were investigated. P. polymyxa ZJU11 effectively suppressed the growth of pathogens of mango fruit in vitro and in vivo. The whole genome sequencing and LC-MS/MS results revealed that the active component in P. polymyxa ZJU11 exerting antifungal activity was Fusaricidin A, B, C and D. The cell membrane integrity of pathogens was demonstrated to be damaged after Fusaricidin extract treatment by PI staining, SEM and TEM observation. Additionally, transcriptomic analysis indicated Fusaricidin extract upregulated the gene expression in cell cycle, MAPK signaling pathway, and autophagy in C. asianum HIN6, induced cell death. This study provides a promising and suitable biocontrol agent to protect the postharvest mango fruit from fungal infection.

Colletotrichum species are the main pathogens of postharvest mango anthracnose and cause substantial economic losses. However, the effective biocontrol agents against these pathogens remain limited, and their underlying mechanisms have not been yet fully elucidated. In this study, three pathogenic Colletotrichum species were isolated from diseased mango fruit, and one antagonistic bacterium was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of mango trees. The antagonistic bacterium identified as Bacillus velezensis HNI10 demonstrated significant inhibitory activity against mango anthracnose both in vitro and in vivo. Whole-genome sequencing and antiSMASH prediction of B. velezensis HNI10 revealed 15 secondary metabolite synthesis gene clusters, including bacillibactin, fengycin, surfactin, bacillaene and others. The fermentation broth extract of B. velezensis HNI10 strongly inhibited the growth of three anthracnose pathogens, disrupted the morphology of hyphae and spores, and damaged the cell membrane and cell wall structure of pathogenic spores. The antifungal assay combined with LC-MS/MS analysis confirmed that fengycin exhibited significant antifungal activity, whereas surfactin displayed negligible antifungal activity. In summary, this study highlights the potential of B. velezensis HNI10 as a biocontrol agent for controlling postharvest anthracnose rot in mangoes, and provides a new understanding of its antagonistic mechanisms.

This study evaluated the storability of ‘Eureka’ blueberry under different temperature conditions, identified the primary postharvest pathogens, and characterized their growth dynamics across a temperature gradient. Harvested ‘Eureka’ blueberry fruits were stored at 0 °C, 5 °C, 10 °C and 20 °C, respectively, with determinations of respiratory rate, total soluble solids (TSS) content, fruit firmness, decay rate and weight loss rate carried out during storage. Results showed that ‘Eureka’ blueberry exhibited typical physiological traits of non-climacteric fruits, as evidenced by the absence of a respiratory climacteric during postharvest storage. Within the temperature range of 0–20 °C, the TSS content and fruit firmness remained relatively stable, showing no significant response to temperature fluctuations. In contrast, both weight loss rate and decay rate increased markedly with rising temperatures, which were identified as the dominant factors contributing to postharvest losses of ‘Eureka’ blueberry. Three pathogenic fungi were isolated from decayed fruits and identified as Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum and Penicillium crustosum through a combination of morphological observation, pathogenicity testing and molecular characterization by multi-gene analysis. In vitro culture assays on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates revealed that the appropriate temperature range for mycelial growth of B. cinerea was 5 - 25 °C, while spore production was maximized at approximately 25 °C. For P. expansum and P. crustosum, the appropriate temperature range for both mycelial growth and spore production was 10 - 30 °C, with P. expansum showing slightly higher sensitivity to the upper limit of this range (30 °C) compared with P. crustosum. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that low-temperature storage at 0 °C significantly inhibited mycelial growth and spore production of the three pathogens, thus suggesting 0 °C as the optimal temperature for long-term preservation of ‘Eureka’ blueberry. However, the low relative humidity (RH) typically associated with 0 °C storage tends to accelerate fruit weight loss. Therefore, we propose that 0 °C storage integrated with moisture-retaining measures is a promising strategy for the postharvest handling of ‘Eureka’ blueberry in commercial production.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution has emerged as an escalating threat to human health, with its induced kidney toxicity being closely linked to oxidative stress and inflammation. In this study, we extracted and analyzed primary anthocyanins from 11 superfruits using UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS and evaluated their antioxidant capacity through DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and ORAC assays. By employing a Cd-exposed Human Kidney-2 (HK-2) cells injury model, we investigated the protective effects of superfruit anthocyanin extracts. The results demonstrated that these extracts enhanced HK-2 cell viability, increased T-SOD and GSH levels, and reduced ROS, MDA, and NO. Furthermore, they significantly regulated oxidative stress and inflammation-related genes and proteins. Moreover, we elucidated the mechanisms by which these anthocyanins mitigate Cd-induced cellular damage via classical oxidative and inflammatory pathways. These findings highlight the potential of specific anthocyanin-rich fruits in reducing Cd-related health risks and suggest practical applications for their bioactive properties in promoting human health.

This article presents an in-depth review of the role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in food authentication, an area of increasing importance due to the rising complexity of food fraud cases. The inherent and unique profiles of VOCs in different food products serve as chemical fingerprints, enabling the differentiation of authentic food products from fraudulent ones across various food categories such as dairy, fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, beverages, and grains. The review begins with an overview of the chemical properties and characteristics of VOCs, emphasizing their diversity and significance in the sensory experience of food products. The article explores VOCs' application in food authentication, providing valuable information on origin, variety, quality, ripening stage, and potential adulterations. Advancements in detection and analytical techniques, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS), electronic noses (E-noses) etc., are discussed. The article also addresses the challenges and limitations in VOC-based food authentication, including variability in VOCs profiles, technical limitations, and regulatory considerations. In conclusion, the review underscores the potential of VOCs as indicators in food integrity, predicting that continued technological advancements and interdisciplinary collaboration will enhance food safety, quality, and traceability.

ABSTRACT Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), characterized by chronic thyroid inflammation and autoantibody production, currently lack targeted therapies, highlighting the need for natural immunomodulators. This study systematically investigated the immunomodulatory effects of citrus flavonoids, particularly polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), on AITDs. Flavonoid extracts from six citrus varieties were screened on Nthy‐ori3‐1 cells. Extracts from Ougan, Eureka lemon, and Newhall sweet orange significantly reduced thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO‐Ab) levels by 25%–34% (p < 0.001), demonstrating potential anti‐AITDs activity. High‐performance liquid chromatography identified and quantified thirteen flavonoids, among which eight representative compounds were further evaluated. Tangeretin exhibited the strongest activity, lowering TPO‐Ab levels by 64% (p < 0.0001) and downregulating interleukin 1 beta (IL1B), interleukin 6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF) by 1.9‐fold–2.5‐fold in an AITDs cell model. Mechanistically, PMFs, specifically tangeretin and nobiletin, alleviated AITDs by modulating the IL‐17 signaling pathway, regulating key regulators such as TNF receptor‐associated factor 3 (TRAF3), TRAF3‐interacting protein 2 (Act1), nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFKB1), interleukin 1 beta (IL‐1β), interleukin 6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α). In a NaI‐induced murine AITDs model, oral tangeretin administration (20 and 100 mg/kg/day body weight) for 8 weeks significantly reduced serum TPO‐Ab levels (p < 0.05), thyroid follicular destruction, and lymphocyte infiltration. Notably, this study is the first to systematically evaluate the immunoregulatory effects of citrus PMFs in AITDs, demonstrating their potential as natural, food‐derived therapeutic agents. These findings provide valuable insights into PMFs as novel immunomodulators, paving the way for food‐based interventions in autoimmune diseases.

The flavonoids in citrus fruits are crucial physiological regulators and natural bioactive products of high pharmaceutical value. Melatonin is a pleiotropic hormone that can regulate plant morphogenesis and stress resistance and alter the accumulation of flavonoids in these processes. However, the direct effect of melatonin on citrus flavonoids remains unclear. In this study, nontargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics were utilized to reveal how exogenous melatonin affects flavonoid biosynthesis in “Bingtangcheng” citrus fruits. The melatonin treatment at 0.1 mmol L−1 significantly increased the contents of seven polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) and up-regulated a series of flavonoid pathway genes, including 4CL (4-coumaroyl CoA ligase), FNS (flavone synthase), and FHs (flavonoid hydroxylases). Meanwhile, CHS (chalcone synthase) was down-regulated, causing a decrease in the content of most flavonoid glycosides. Pearson correlation analysis obtained 21 transcription factors co-expressed with differentially accumulated flavonoids, among which the AP2/EREBP members were the most numerous. Additionally, circadian rhythm and photosynthesis pathways were enriched in the DEG (differentially expressed gene) analysis, suggesting that melatonin might also mediate changes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway by affecting the fruit’s circadian rhythm. These results provide valuable information for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms through which melatonin regulates citrus fruit metabolism.

In order to develop the plant-derived active substance vanillin, 2-hydroxypropyl-I3-cyclodextrin was used to encapsulate vanillin, and a chitosan-based edible coating: vanillin-HPI3CD/CH was developed for chicken preservation. First, vanillin was inserted into the internal cavity of HPI3CD through an ultrasonic-assisted method to form vanillin/HPI3CD-IC. The inclusion complex of vanillin/HPI3CD-IC was demonstrated to be successfully synthesized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Through antibacterial testing, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), it was verified that inclusion improved the thermal stability of vanillin while retaining the antibacterial effect of vanillin. The release of vanillin from encapsulated particle exhibited pH-dependent slow controlled release, and can described by First order model. Subsequently, vanillin/ HPI3CD-IC was compounded with chitosan through a composite film-forming method to prepare an edible coating: vanillin-HPI3CD/CH. By characterizing the performance of vanillin-HPI3CD/CH, it was found that the addition of vanillin/HPI3CD-IC can improve the stability, isolation hydrophobicity and antibacterial performance of the plastic wrap. Finally, vanillin-HPI3CD/CH was applied to chicken preservation, and it was found that vanillin-HPI3CD/CH could effectively extend the shelf life of chicken and maintain sensory quality by slowing down the rise in pH, preventing the proliferation of microorganisms, and inhibiting lipid oxidation. In summary, vanillin-HPI3CD/CH is an edible coating with superior performance and a promising packaging material for chicken freshness preservation.

Alcoholic liver injury (ALI) accounts for a major share of the global burden of non-viral liver disease. In the absence of specialized medications, research on using fruit flavonoids as a treatment is gaining momentum. This study investigated the hepatoprotective effects of four fruits rich in structurally diverse flavonoids: ougan (Citrus reticulata cv. Suavissima, OG), mulberry (Morus alba L., MB), apple (Malus x domestica Borkh., AP), and turnjujube (Hovenia dulcis Thunnb., TJ). A total of one flavanone glycoside, three polymethoxyflavones, two anthocyanins, one flavonol glycoside, and one dihydroflavonol were identified through UPLC analysis. In an acute ethanol-induced ALI mouse model, C57BL/6J mice were supplemented with 200 mg/kg & sdot;BW/day of different fruit extracts for three weeks. Our results showed that the four extracts exhibited promising benefits in improving lipid metabolism disorders, iron overload, and oxidative stress. RT-PCR and Western blot tests suggested that the potential mechanism may partially be attributed to the activation of the NRF2-mediated antioxidant response and the inhibition of ferroptosis pathways. Furthermore, fruit extracts administration demonstrated a specific regulatory role in intestinal microecology, with increases in beneficial bacteria such as Dubosiella, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium. Spearman correlation analysis revealed strong links between intestinal flora, lipid metabolism, and iron homeostasis, implying that the fruit extracts mitigated ALI via the gut microbiota-liver axis. In vitro experiments reaffirmed the activity against ethanol-induced oxidative damage and highlighted the positive effects of flavonoid components. These findings endorse the prospective application of OG, MB, AP, and TJ as dietary supplements or novel treatments for ALI.

Perillaldehyde (PAE), an essential oil extracted from perilla (Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt.), exhibits excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. In this study, we found that the antifungal mechanism of PAE was attributed to the stimulation of ROS levels, destruction of mitochondrial function, and induction of spore apoptosis. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the gene expression pattern of Botrytis cinerea significantly changed after PAE treatment, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly involved in the MAPK signaling pathway and cell wall integrity pathway. For the better utilization of PAE for fruit preservation, the inclusion complex (IC) of PAE and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin was successfully synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted method, as proved by UV–vis spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal properties analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and 1H NMR. It was demonstrated that water solubility and thermal stability of PAE/HPβCD-IC were significantly improved compared to pure PAE. Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo antifungal assessment showed that PAE/HPβCD-IC was effective for inhibiting B. cinerea. Overall, our results indicated that PAE/HPβCD-IC had promising antifungal activity, water solubility and thermal stability, which provided a theoretical basis for the utilization of PAE/HPβCD-IC for fruit preservation.

Oral ulcers, a common mucosal affliction, severely diminish patients' quality of life due to pain and discomfort. Despite existing treatments, the frequent recurrence of oral ulcers underscores the need for more effective therapeutic options. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Ponkan (Citrus reticulata 'Ponkan') extracts and their flavonoid components on oral ulcers, exploring their potential as a natural therapy. Twenty different Ponkan cultivars were selected for flavonoid extraction and analysis. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) were utilized for substance identification, leading to the discovery of 16 flavonoid compounds. Using an oral ulcer model established in Wistar rats, Ponkan extracts were found to effectively reduce ulcer area and pain sensitivity. The study revealed that four polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) were particularly effective in treating oral ulcers, while hesperidin did not show significant improvement. Mechanistic studies indicated that PMFs could inhibit the phosphorylation of Jak2 and Stat3, whereas hesperidin lacked this effect. This research supports the potential use of Ponkan and its flavonoids as a natural and effective alternative therapy for oral ulcers, with a focus on the role of PMFs in modulating the Jak2-Stat3 pathway, highlighting the possibilities for targeted natural treatments.

Citrus fruit produced some characteristic volatile compounds when infected by fungi compared with the healthy fruit. In the present study, volatile metabolites of postharvest citrus fruit with three different diseases including stem-end rot, blue mold and green mold were detected. Multivariate analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were employed to classify the volatile compounds between the infected and non-infected citrus fruit. The results indicated that volatile compounds of unrotten, unrotten-rotten junction, and rotten tissues were successfully classified. Importantly, eight volatile compounds as biomarkers for stem-end rot and one biomarker for green mold of citrus were screened to discriminate the infected citrus fruit. This study offers the application potential of odor profiling of volatile compounds for detecting the fungi infection in postharvest citrus fruit.

Chinese bayberry is a characteristic and native fruit of China, which is popular for its unique flavor and juicy taste. However, Chinese bayberry fruit has a short harvesting period and poor storability, thus is highly depending on the postharvest preservation and transportation technologies. There are numerous studies on the postharvest preservation and transportation of Chinese bayberry fruit. Based on these, this paper reviewed the research progress on postharvest quality change, disease and pest occurrence, storage and logistics technologies of Chinese bayberry fruit. After combing and looking forward to some researching key points, it is concluded that the reasons for the poor harvesting of Chinese bayberry fruit are diverse and complex, and the importance of forming a comprehensive technical system from many aspects is put forward. This paper provides some theoretical references for the research and application of postharvest preservation technologies of Chinese bayberry fruit.

Vanillin, a plant-derived antimicrobial volatile substance, has potential microbial control applications in the food industry. However, the effect of vanillin on the food-borne pathogen Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 has not been well studied. This study aims to explore the antibacterial mechanism of vanillin against E. coli O157:H7. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and antibacterial effect of vanillin were determined by microdilution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the damage of vanillin to the cell membrane, while cell membrane potential and the leakage of nucleic acid protein were measured to explore the effect of vanillin on the membrane system. Confocal laser scanning and intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration determination were utilized to investigate the effects of vanillin on the energy, life, and death of E. coli. Finally, transcriptome sequencing was conducted to investigate the gene expression differences induced by vanillin treatment. The results showed that vanillin treatment effectively controlled E. coli O157:H7 with an MIC of 2 mg/mL. After treatment, damage to the membrane system, depolarization of the membrane, and leakage of nucleic acid and protein were observed. Meanwhile, vanillin treatment caused decreased ATP content and cell death. Transcriptome analysis showed that vanillin treatment significantly affected the expression of genes involved in cell membrane formation, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycling pathway, and oxidative phosphorylation pathway in E. coli O157:H7. In conclusion, membrane damage and energy metabolism disruption are important mechanisms of vanillin's inhibitory effect on E. coli O157:H7. This study provides new insights into the molecular reaction mechanism of vanillin against E. coli O157:H7, highlighting its potential as an antibacterial substance for preventing E. coli contamination in the food industry.

食品表面的大肠埃希菌(Escherichia coli)对消费者的健康构成威胁,而大气压低温等离子体技术(cold atmospheric plasma,CAP)作为一种新兴的非热杀菌技术,已在食品杀菌保鲜领域得到广泛应用.为探究CAP对E.coli的杀灭作用及机制,文中以采后桑椹表面E.coli为试验菌株,研究了 CAP对E.coli的抑制效果及对其细胞膜、亚显微结构、胞内活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)积累和细胞凋亡情况的影响,探讨了 CAP技术对E.coli的杀菌机制.结果表明,CAP处理可显著抑制E.coli的生长,造成其细胞膜破损及部分细胞裂解,同时引起E.coli细胞内ROS的积累,进一步诱导其发生细胞凋亡,E.coli细胞受损程度、ROS积累趋势和凋亡率均随电流强度增加而增加.由此推测,CAP可能通过对E.coli细胞膜的损伤引起胞内生物学损伤,破坏细胞活性,从而对其起到抑制和杀灭效果.

杨梅是原产于我国的特色浆果类水果,其色泽艳丽、酸甜多汁,深受消费者喜爱,然而,其贮运一直是尚待解决的难题.病原菌侵染所致的腐烂是杨梅果实采后损耗的重要原因之一.本文采用低温等离子体技术对杨梅进行采后防腐处理,结果表明:杨梅果实贮藏期腐烂率显著下降,多次处理的间隔期越短,效果越明显.对接种桔青霉的果实进行低温等离子体处理,病果的发病进程被显著抑制,其中6 A电流产生的低温等离子体每隔24 h处理3 min,对病害的控制最为经济有效.低温等离子体处理使桔青霉碘化丙啶(PI)染色率、Hoechst 33342染色率和DCFH-DA染色率明显上升,经扫描电镜(SEM)和透射电镜(TEM)观测,处理后的孢子发生破裂、皱缩等形态结构的改变,表明低温等离子体通过诱导桔青霉孢子中活性氧(ROS)积累,进而诱导孢子坏死和凋亡.本研究结果为低温等离子体在杨梅果实采后病害防治中的应用提供理论参考.

Mulberry seeds are a byproduct of juice processing and may be an important resource for its abundant compounds. In this study, we analyzed the qualitative composition of free and bound phenolics from six varieties of mulberry seeds using UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. Free phenolics (FPs) and bound phenolics (BPs) were measured using the Folin–Ciocalteu method; antioxidant capacity was determined by measuring 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity, using the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. A total of 28 free and 11 bound phenolics were extracted and identified, wherein five free phenolics were found in mulberry matrices for the first time. The six varieties of mulberry seeds exhibited higher content of FPs than BPs, and there was a correlation between the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Consequently, three varieties were selected for their high phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. This study might offer a theoretical basis for the utilization of mulberry seed.

Different components of the mulberry tree (fruits, leaves, twigs, and roots) are rich in active compounds, and have been reported to possess potent beneficial properties, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-allergenic, antihypertensive, and neuroprotective. The mulberry and its extracts can effectively improve the growth performance and fitness of animals. They not only possess the properties of being safe and purely natural, but also they are not prone to drug resistance. According to the literature, the supplemental level of the mulberry and its extracts in animal diets varies with different species, physiological status, age, and the purpose of the addition. It has been observed that the mulberry and its extracts enhanced the growth performance, the quality of animal products (meat, egg, and milk), the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory responses of animals. Furthermore, the mulberry and its extracts have antibacterial properties and can effectively moderate the relative abundance of the microbial populations in the rumen and intestines, thus improving the immunity function of animals and reducing the enteric methane (CH4) production in ruminants. Furthermore, the mulberry and its extracts have the potential to depurate tissues of heavy metals. Collectively, this review summarizes the nutrients, active compounds, and biological functions of mulberry tree products, as well as the application in livestock production with an aim to provide a reference for the utilization of the mulberry and its extracts in animal production.

Mulberries are a kind of berries with high nutritional value and delicious taste; however, their shelf life is extremely short, and are perishable and difficult to preserve. Recently, cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) holds a great potential as an efficient, economical and ecofriendly method for food sterilization. Herein, this study investigated the effects of CAP treatment with different time (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 3min) and different strength (0, 2 and 3 V) on mulberries. The results showed that Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea) is the primary post-harvest rot-causing fungus of mulberries, and CAP can effectively reduce the rot rate of mulberries during storage and inhibit the growth of B. cinerea. In addition, this study explored the sterilization mechanism of CAP on B. cinerea, and found that CAP can destroy the structure of B. cinerea, affected its metabolism. It inhibited the growth of spores and hyphae of B. cinerea, and caused intracellular ROS accumulation in large quantities, caused a redox imbalance in B. cinerea. Meanwhile, CAP didn't adversely affect the quality of mulberries. These findings can be used to promote the development of CAP as an emerging means of disinfection and preservation of fresh berries.

As an important part of the daily diet, fruits are an important source of vitamin a, vitamin c and dietary fiber. However, fresh fruits are difficult to preserve and will spoil and rot quickly, especially the fruits with respiratory climacteric. This kind of fruits rapidly ripen and soften after the peak of respi-ration, which not only affects their texture, taste and nutritional value, but also causes the loss of com-mercial value. The softening process is believed to be related to the degradation of cell wall pectin. Pec-tin in the cell wall is a kind of complex acidic polysaccharide with D-galacturonic acid as the main com-ponent connected by 1, 4-glycosidic bonds, contributing to the adhesion between cells and the mechani-cal strength of cells. Currently the smooth and hairy region model is the most recognized pectin struc-ture, which consists of four structural domains-homogalacturonans, rhamnogalacturonanⅠ, rhamnoga-lacturonanⅡand xylogalacturonan. Studies have found that the process of fruit ripening and softening is often related to changes in pectin composition. The degree of esterification of pectin and polymeriza-tion will decrease. The insoluble protopectin degrades to form soluble pectin and pectic acid, and inter-cellular adhesion decreases, resulting in softening of the fruit. For example, alkaline soluble pectin is more in the early stage of maturity while water soluble pectin is more in the later stage of maturity in to-mato. One of the main reasons for fruit softening is the degradation of pectin, which is catalyzed by spe-cific pectinase including pectin methylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG), pectate lyases (PL) andβ-galactosidase (β-GAL). The main function of PME is to act on the methyl esterified carboxyl group to&nbsp;form methanol and polygalacturonic acid. PG is a key enzyme for the softening of most fruits with re-spiratory climacteric. Its role is to hydrolyze the glycosidic bond of demethylated polygalacturonic acid residues to produce galacturonic acid. PL degrades pectin polymers directly byβ-elimination mecha-nism that results in the formation of 4 ,5-unsaturated oligogalacturonides, promoting the process of fruit softening. There are two kinds ofβ-GAL. One acts on theβ-(1, 3) andβ-(1, 6) glycosidic bonds of arabi-nogalactan, and the other acts exclusively on theβ-(1, 4) galactosidic bonds of pectin branched chains. Both of them are related to the strength of cell wall structure. The activities of the four pectinases will change when fruits mature, and generally show a trend of first rising and then falling. Among them, the activity ofβ-GAL changes in the early post-harvest period, which is earlier than the change of PG and PME, and it may have a greater impact on fruit softening than the other enzymes. Activities of all kinds of enzymes are regulated by genes. It is helpful to clarify the molecular mechanism of fruit softening by studying the expression of related genes and the activity changes of various pectinases. Several genes re-lated to pectinase have been reported. For PME, 71 genes have been found in peach. The expression of Solyc03g083360, Solyc07g071600 and Solyc12g098340 increased at maturity, which may be related to softening of tomato. PG genes are classified into 3 major clades by phylogenetic analysis and each clade contains PG genes that involved in fruit softening. Exogenous ethylene and 1-MCP mainly regu-late the enzyme activity by affecting the expression of PG genes, which in turn affects the ripening and softening of fruits. The SlPLis involved in the ripening and softening of tomato and silencing it can in-hibit the expression of genes related to cell wall degradation and slow down the fruit softening. There are many expression patterns ofβ-GAL gene, some of which have high expression level at maturity, some have high expression level at fruit development, while others always maintain a low level. In gen-eral, PME genes are up-regulated during cold storage and highly expressed when the fruit is ripe. PG genes are mainly expressed at maturity, and the gene expression level increases first and then decreases with fruit maturation. The change in gene expression level is consistent with the change in PG enzyme activity. PL genes are mainly expressed before fruit ripening and softening, and some members show high levels of expression at the end of ripening. Most of theβ-GAL genes are expressed at the begin-ning of ripening and early fruit softening. Studying the relationship between fruit softening and cell wall pectin degradation and revealing its mechanism will contribute to the formulation of postharvest fruit preservation strategies so as to prolong fruit shelf life and maintain good fruit quality and commer-ciality. In this paper, the composition and molecular structure of pectin in plants are summarized accord-ing to the latest research progress at home and abroad, and the degradation of pectin in cell wall during the softening process is introduced. At the same time, the mechanisms of pectin degradation and fruit softening are revealed from pectin degradation, pectinase activity and the expression level of related genes.