Post on 11-Jan-2016
Postharvest Lossesof
Fruits and Vegetables
Yoram FuchsDept. of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce
ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Postharvest loss: Is defined as any change in the quality or quantity of the product after harvest that decreases its value.
The losses may range from slight defects to total loss of the produce!
Small defects (rind breakdown)
Total loss (sour rot)
Fighting Hunger by Saving PerishablesJorge Luis Alonso · 02-10-2008
• President and CEO of the Global Cold Chain Alliance, spoke to a special United Nations Forum on the global food crisis at United Nations headquarters in New York City. Among many things said that countries without proper cold chain infrastructure lose about 30 to 60% of all perishable products each year before they even get to the table. He argued that the solution to combating world hunger involves more than just producing more food, but reducing losses through “proper postharvest technologies.
THE STRATEGIES FOR ATTAINING THESE GOALS
INCLUDE:
• The primary goals of research on postharvest biology and technology of fresh produce are to reduce losses in quantity and quality and to maintain safety between harvest and consumption sites.
(1) Growing cultivars that have good flavor and nutritional quality plus long postharvest-life potential when harvested at optimum maturity
(2) using an integrated crop management system that maximizes yield without sacrificing quality
(3) using optimal postharvest handling practices to maintain quality and safety of the food products.
• The postharvest story starts at production. Therefore, efforts should be made to integrate production with postharvest management.
• Food loss reduction is normally less costly than equivalent increases (in quantity) in food production.
• There is a need for a sound foundation in developing integrated postharvest management systems for fruit and vegetables, with proper infrastructural facilities and logistic support.
• The idea is to try, as far as possible, to maintain the initial product quality.
• Usually there are both losses in quantity and in quality
Estimated Levels of Postharvest Losses in the Asia Pacific Region
COUNTRY
India
Indonesia
Iran
Korea
Philipines
Sri-Lanka
Thailand
Vietnam
LEVEL OF LOSS (%)
40
20 – 50
>35
20 – 50
27 – 42
16 – 41
17 – 35
20 - 25
R.S. Rolle, Agr.Industries Officer, FAO, 2004
CAUSES OF POSTHARVEST LOSSES
• External factors
Mechanical injuries Parasitic diseases
• Internal factors
Physiological deterioration
RAW MATERIAL• No Matter how perfect postharvest
operations are, good returns cannot be obtained from poor quality raw materials
• Pre-harvest essential factors: -Select suitable varieties -Apply proper crop management -Conduct proper disease and pest control -Harvest at the appropriate maturity stage -Apply proper harvesting practices in order to minimize damage at time of harvest
Effect of ripeness stage and drop height on incidence of internal
bruising in tomatoes (‘Solar set’) Drop heightFruit with internal bruising (%)
cmGreen stageBreaker stage
00.00.0
105.073.0
205.0100.0
3045.0100.0
Two drops on opposite sides. Extracted from
SA Sargent at al. HS719 UF/IFAS, Fla. 2006
SANITATION: before, during and after harvest
Dropped fruit and plant debris – a source of infection. Remove it from the grove.
Dropped fruit collected for elimination
Repeatedly used infected packages and tools – a source of infection. The tools must be cleaned and sterilized. Used carton packages should be discarded.
POSTHARVEST LOSSES MAY OCCUR AT DIFFERENT STEPS DURIN THE MARKETING CHAIN
Losses at harvest: injuries, pressure damage
Losses at the packinghouse: chemicals, brushes and wax damage
Losses during storage: chilling injuries, decay, peel disorders
Losses during transport: bruising, deformation, decay
Losses at retail: decay, softening, wilting
Losses at the consumers: decay, softening, wilting
Losses during harvestPressure damage
Mechanical injury Spliting
Long button injury
WOUNDING BY THE STEMS
MECHANICAL DAMAGE
BIN DAMAGE
Losses at the packinghouse
Chemical spray injuries
Many studies showed that hot water dips (2-3 min at 53ºC) reduces decay development.Recently, a new method combining a short hot water rinsing and brushing treatment (55-60ºC for 20-30 s) was developed to clean and disinfect agricultural products.
Brushes damage
Hot tank damage
Wax damage
Losses during Storage
Decay
MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE OF TOMMY ETKINS MANGO
Physiological disorders
Chillinginjuries
Stem-endRind breakdown
Rind breakdown
CHILLING INJURIES
CHILLING INJURIES
Losses at various stages of marketing of two mango varieties
Losses at level of
Kind of loss (damage)
‘Totapuri’ loss (%)
‘Alphonso’ loss (%)
HARVESTMechanical 0.730.80
Spoilage (decay)
1.410.68
Bird damage0.200.26
Over-ripe0.690.13
Pilferage0.210.00
Hail storm0.280.03
Total3.521.90
Losses at various stages of marketing of two mango varieties
Losses at level of
Kind of loss (damage)
‘Totapuri’ loss (%)
‘Alphonso’ loss (%)
Transport Breakage 1.241.63
And whole- sale market
Spoilage (decay)
0.771.31
Over-mature1.070.51
Immature & unmarketable
size
1.77
0.17
Total4.853.62
Losses at various stages of marketing of two mango varieties
Losses at level of
Kind of loss (damage)
‘Totapuri’ loss (%)
‘Alphonso’ loss (%)
STORAGEOver-mature & srivelling
1.671.39
Spoilage (decay)
2.432.11
Total4.103.50
Eight to nine days after harvest, including five days in the market.
Srinivas et al J. Food Sci. Technol 1977. 34:70-72 Bangalore, India
Losses at various stages of marketing of two mango varieties
Losses at level of:
Kind of loss (damage)
‘Totapuri’ loss (%)
‘Alphonso’ loss (%)
RETAILOvermature & shrivelling
2.083.37
Spoilage (decay)2.571.34
Pilferage0.780.58
Total5.435.39
OVERALL LOSS17.9214.37
Postharvest Losses in Selected Commodities in Taiwan (1993) (%)
CommodityTransportWholesaleRetailTotal
Chinese cabbage
423531
Turnip210416
Green bean3104
Watermelon111012
Papaya271423
Carambula26715
Apple2136
Banana03710
Wiils, McGlasson, Graham and Joyce (1998)
IN SUMMARY
It is necessary to pay special attention along the various stages of the handling of the commodity (from harvest, packinghouse treatments, storage, transport, retail and consumers) to avoid postharvest losses.
Proper infrastructure, logistics and management and human resources are essential to maintain improved postharvest procedures and marketing of fruits and vegetables.
Thank you!
Fighting Hunger by Saving PerishablesJorge Luis Alonso · 02-10-2008
• President and CEO of the Global Cold Chain Alliance, spoke to a special United Nations Forum on the global food crisis at United Nations headquarters in New York City. Among many things said that countries without proper cold chain infrastructure lose about 30 to 60% of all perishable products each year before they even get to the table. He argued that the solution to combating world hunger involves more than just producing more food, but reducing losses through “proper postharvest technologies.