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Abstract

Classically fruit ripening and development was studied using genetic approaches with understanding of metabolic changes that occurred in concert largely focused on a handful of metabolites including sugars, organic acids, cell wall components and phytohormones. The advent and widespread application of metabolomics has however led to far greater understanding of metabolic components that play a crucial role not only in this process but also in influencing the organoleptic and nutritive properties of the fruits. Here we review how the study of natural variation, mutants, transgenics and gene-edited fruits has led to a considerable increase in our understanding of these aspects. We focus on flesh fruits such as tomato but also review berries and receptacle as well as stone-bearing fruits. Finally, we offer a perspective as to how comparative analyses and machine learning will likely further improve our comprehension of the functional importance of various metabolites in the future.