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Not AvailableFruits and vegetables are the natural source of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that play an important role in the human diet. Despite of tremendous increase in production and productivity, their per-capita availability for world population is a great challenge ahead due to constant postharvest losses occurring in perishable horticultural produce. These postharvest losses, especially in terms of quality and nutritional composition, could be controlled to a greater extent with better knowledge regarding their postharvest physiology. The ultimate physiological condition of the fresh produce determines their fitness for end use, including storability and acceptability for primary or secondary processing. Hence, it is indispensable to understand the physiological responses of perishable commodities to the storage conditions in direct relation to the intended end use. Physical, physiological and biochemical changes occurring during fruit ripening seem to modify their internal quality in terms of firmness, colour, starch content, organic acids and flavouring compounds. Thus, the knowledge on the physiological profile of perishable fruits and vegetables could act as a powerful tool for their optimized commercial utilization.Not Availabl