Use of liquid smoke for sustainable food preservation and postharvest loss and waste reduction (A review)

The primary aim of every post-harvest technology is to prolong shelf life and maintain produce quality. Recent efforts to extend the shelf life of agricultural produces have culminated in the use of various methods, among which some have dangerous side effects to human health and the environment, others are just too expensive due to the high cost of production thereby making their usage unsustainable and uneconomical. Among the safe and sustainable alternatives under development, Liquid Smoke (LS) appears to have very remarkable potentials. However, the Postharvest Loss and Waste (PHLW) reduction potential of LS have been highly underrepresented in both scientific and non-scientific literature. This work, therefore, analyses and bring to light the potentials of LS for reducing postharvest losses and prolonging the shelf life of agricultural produce. The usage against insect infestation, microorganism attack, and physiological disorder of products are discussed. A careful compilation of recent literature reporting various waste materials for producing LS is also reported in this work. The active components (carbonyls, organic acids, and Phenols) responsible for its potency in reducing food loss are also discussed. Finally, a simple conceptual framework is used to illustrate the strategic and systematic role played by LS in reducing PHLW, conserving the environment, and contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).