## 4 Conclusions  
This study assessed the preservation of greenhouse-cultivated cucumbers (_Cucumis sativus_) during a 28-day storage period at 15 \({}^{\circ}\)C in packaging bags using a combination of non-destructive image textural analysis, infrared spectroscopy, physicochemical analysis, and statistical methods including regression and discriminant analysis. The study demonstrated a significant increase in the total phenolic content and antioxidant/antiradical activity over the storage duration, thereby highlighting the dynamic changes in nutritional properties that occur during storage. Significant alterations in the spectral data corresponded with changes in the phenolic content and antioxidant activity, indicating the potential of FTIR to provide detailed insights into the composition of cucumbers over time. The color analysis revealed chlorophyll degradation, which resulted in the yellowing of the peel, while image analysis demonstrated an increasing dissimilarity and textural disorder, which was particularly evident by the 13 th day of storage. In addition, changes in color parameters, such as hue angle, were closely monitored and were found to be reliable indicators of the cucumbers' freshness and overall quality. The utilization of image analysis proved to be a valuable, non-destructive method for the assessment and classification of cucumber quality. This technique enabled the extraction of key quality parameters from the peel, thereby offering insights into the internal quality attributes of the cucumbers. Predictive models, constructed from image analysis data, showed promise in estimating the quality and shelf life of cucumbers.  
Despite the fact that the present study employs a holistic approach to the quality assessment of cucumbers, it is still characterized by limitations that should be further investigated. More specifically, the image analysis, although effective, mostly relies on  
Figure 11: Prediction of cucumber flesh quality parameters by image textural features of cucumber peel.  
specific software and algorithms, which might limit reproducibility if different tools are used. Furthermore, the integration of microbial stability and sensory evaluation could provide a more comprehensive understanding of cucumber quality during storage. As a step further, a comparative study of the impact of different preservation methods may also provide new insights into the progression of cucumber quality.  
Overall, this study highlights the significance of controlled storage conditions in preserving cucumber quality and provides a comprehensive methodology for monitoring post-harvest changes. By integrating advanced analytical techniques, this research enhances the understanding and the ability to manage fruit and vegetable shelf life, thereby contributing to the development of more effective storage and distribution strategies. This study highlights the potential of combining instrumental and image analysis techniques with statistical methods to improve the monitoring and prediction of cucumber quality, thereby supporting the fresh produce supply chain.  
Conceptualization, V.J.S., P.Z. and D.C.; methodology P.C., G.L., K.T., D.C., V.J.S. and E.K.; software D.C. and P.C.; validation T.T. and E.K.; formal analysis, T.T., P.C. and E.K.; investigation V.J.S., P.Z., D.C., P.C., G.L., K.T., E.K. and T.T.; resources, P.C.; data curation, P.C., D.C.; writing--original draft preparation V.J.S., G.L., P.C. and K.T.; writing--review and editing E.K., V.J.S. and T.T.; visualization, P.C. and D.C.; supervision V.J.S. and P.Z.; project administration, V.J.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research received no external funding.  
Not applicable.  
The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.  
We are grateful to \"Thrace Greenhouses S.A\" for kindly providing the cucumber samples. We are grateful to [PERSON] for her valuable help with physicochemical analyses.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.