Supplement
Postharvest Management and Storage of fresh fruit and vegetables
Sustainable agriculture is a core part of the concept of sustainable development. Given the forecast in population increase, sustainable agriculture has to achieve food security in combination with economic viability, social responsibility and have as little effect on biodiversity and natural ecosystems as possible.
�e fruit processing industry is one of the major businesses in the world. While basic principles of fruit processing have shown only minor changes over the last few years, major improvements are now continuously occurring, and more efficient equipment capable of converting huge quantities of fruits into pulp, juice, dehydrated, frozen, refrigerated products, etc. make possible the preservation of products for year-round consumption.
�e fruit processing and storage, even under the most industrially available“ mild conditions,” involves physical and chemical changes that negatively modify the quality. �ese negative or deteriorative changes include enzymatic and n o n- e n z y m at i c b r ow n i n g, o ff- avor, discoloration, shrinking, case hardening, and some other chemical, thermo-physical, and rheological alterations that modify the nutritive value and original taste, color, and appearance of fruits. �e ability of the industry to provide a nutritious and healthy fruit product to the consumer is highly dependent on the knowledge of the quality modi cations that occur during the processing.
�e storage life of fresh fruit and vegetables varies with type, variety and pre-harvest conditions. �ere is scope to control storage life through postharvest management of the two most important determinants of storage life and quality— respiration and transpiration. Proper control of temperature and relative humidity is the key to maximising storage life and marketable quality.
Harvested horticultural products are living tissues with continuing metabolism a�er harvest. �ey are subject to respiration, water loss and cell so�ening throughout the postharvest system. �e storage life of a product varies with species, variety and pre-harvest conditions— particularly quality and maturity. However, there is scope to control storage life through postharvest management of the two most important determinants of storage life and quality— respiration and transpiration. Both need to be limited but not stopped and proper control of temperature and relative humidity is the key to maximising storage life and marketable quality.
Temperature Each product handled has its own particular
May- June 2017
FARMERS
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