Due to the increasing pressure from consumers, food industry has been reducing the use of chemical compounds as preservatives to decrease the impact of health hazards and economic losses. In a world of climatic and social changes and related changing eating habits, there is a need for new food processing methods, based on natural products to be used alone or combined with the already steady techniques, with an overall view to preserving health and environment. In this context, research topics aimed at the generation of new products applicable to the maintenance of food quality involving (i) the use of natural resources; (ii) the development of new strategies and processes exploiting use of industrial wastes and by-products; and (iii) the development of clean bioprocesses have become of great interest.

Postharvest losses of fruits mainly occur by decay caused by fungal pathogens and arthropod pests, but the wide use of synthetic chemicals is contained by an increasing public concern regarding residues in food and the development of resistance to pesticides. Particular interest has been focused in the powerful antimicrobial action and pest control activity of plant extracts and natural substances of microbial origins.

This special issue addresses research and review articles related to new developments on the use of natural extracts or natural compounds to improve food quality and safety. The main aims and scope of the special issue is the prevention and/or inhibition of microbial growth in foods (both foodborne pathogens and spoilage agents), during their postharvest storage and shelf-life, through the use of natural products. Moreover, studies based on the use of natural products in food pest management are also well accepted.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Use of extracts of plant origins (e.g., polyphenols, tannins, and essential oils) and from by-products or industrial residues (strongly encouraged) to improve postharvest and processed food quality
• Antimicrobials produced by bacterial or fungal metabolism
• Bioproduction of trans- and interesterification lipids applicable to improve food quality
• Use of natural products against postharvest rots, microorganisms, and pests producing food losses or foodborne diseases
• Formulation and application methods, including the development of nano- and microstructures to deliver bioactive compounds of natural origin
• Effect of the environment on treatments
• Technological, environmental, safety, and socioeconomic aspects