Module 8 :Harvest and post-harvest management

Session 1: HARVESTING METHODS AND PROCEDURE

Introduction:

• The effort to achieve an economic rewardthrough the marketing of organic producemust begin well before harvest.

• Seed selection can be a critical factor indetermining the postharvest performanceof any commodity.

• Individual cultivars vary in their inherentpotential for firmness retention,uniformity, disease and pest resistance, andsensory shelf life.

Contd…

▪ The application of food safety programs, inturn, has been shown to directly benefitpostharvest quality.

▪ Once prerequisite production programs arein place, a systematic evaluation andimplementation plan of Good AgriculturalPractices during harvest operations and anysubsequent postharvest handling, minimalor fresh-cut processing, and distribution toconsumers must be developed.Considerations for these activities are listedbelow.

Handling during harvest:

• The inherent quality of produce cannot beimproved after harvest, only maintained forthe expected window of time (shelf life)characteristic of the commodity.

• Part of what makes for successfulpostharvest handling is an accurateknowledge of what this window ofopportunity is under your specificconditions of production, season, method ofhandling, and distance to market.

Contd…

• Harvest during the coolest time of the dayto maintain low product respiration.

• Avoid unnecessary wounding, bruising,crushing, or damage from humans,equipment, or harvest containers.

• Shade harvested product in the field tokeep it cool. Covering harvest bins or toteswith a reflective pad greatly reduces heatgain from the sun and reduces water lossand premature senescence.

Contd…

• Harvest during the coolest time of the dayto maintain low product respiration.

• Avoid unnecessary wounding, bruising,crushing, or damage from humans,equipment, or harvest containers.

• Shade harvested product in the field to keepit cool. Covering harvest bins or totes with areflective pad greatly reduces heat gainfrom the sun and reduces water loss andpremature senescence.

Contd…

• If possible, move product into a cold storagefacility or postharvest cooling treatment assoon as possible. For some commodities,such as berries, tender greens and leafyherbs, one hour in the sun is too long.

• Don’t compromise high quality product byintermingling damaged, decayed, or decay-prone product in a bulk or packed unit.

• Only use cleaned and, as necessary, sanitizedpacking or transport containers.

Module 8: HARVEST AND POST-HARVEST MANAGEMENT

Session 2: POST-HARVEST MANAGEMENT

Post-harvest management:

• If organic fruits and vegetables are storedafter harvest, maximum quality will onlybe maintained if they are stored in cultivar-specific conditions.

• The important factors in storage are storagetime, temperature, humidity, and sensitivityto ethylene. In some products, quality instorage can be further maintained usingcultivar-specific controlled atmosphereconditions, i.e., reduced oxygen andincreased carbon dioxide.

Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere (DCA) Storage:

• The use of controlled atmospheres (CA) is aknown and effective technology for use onmany fruits and vegetables and it is anacceptable organic postharvest technologywhen the CA uses only O2, CO2 and N2.

Alternative Potato/Onion Sprout Inhibitors:

• A number of alternative potato sproutinhibitors have been found such as ethylene,1,4-dimethylnaphthalene (1,4 DMN), 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene (2,6 DIPN),carvone, clove oil and peroxides.

Heat Treatments:

• A promising non-chemical postharvestmethod for use on organic fruits andvegetables is pre-storage hot watertreatment, either as a hot water immersiontreatment (HWT) or hot water rinsing andbrushing (HWRB).

UV-C Radiation:

• There are numerous research reports of thebenefit of UV-C radiation, depending on itshormetic dose. For example, it controlsgrapefruit decay without affecting qualityand controls both decay and chilling injuryin peaches.

• Anti-Microbial Surfaces:Returning to theuse of copper-containing (brass) water-holding containers reduces Escherichia coliand coliform bacteria by 90% overnight and100% in 48 hours.

Natural Volatiles:

• In recent years there has been an increasedappreciation of the potential anti-pest role ofplant-produced volatiles and other volatileorganic compounds, e.g., ethanol andacetaldehyde, acetic acid as well asbiologically-produced volatiles.

Contd…

• volatile organic compounds (acetaldehyde,benzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, ethanol,benzyl alcohol, nerolidol, 2-nonanone, β-ionone and ethyl formate) are the strongestgrowth inhibitors and the most lethal tofungal spores and mycelia and bacterialcells.

Grading:

• Grading is sorting of vegetables and fruits into different grades according to the size, shape, colour, and volume to fetch high price in market.

Grading of Fruits:

• Generally, the fruits are graded on the basisof size, weight, specific gravity, colour,variety, etc.

• Size grading is predominantly followed inalmost all types of fruits on the basis ofsize. The fruits are graded as a small,medium, large and extra large.

Contd…

• On the basis of maturity, the fruits aregraded as immature, properly mature andover mature. Grading on the basis ofmaturity decides both quality and shelf life.

Grading of Vegetables:

• The fruit vegetables such as bitter gourd,okra, bell pepper, brinjal , green chill, etc.are also graded on the basis of size intothree grades as small medium and large.

• The vegetables like tomato are graded onthe basis of color and maturity.

Advantages of Grading:

Losses the selling price due to presence of

substandard products or

specimen can be easily avoided.

It increased marketing

efficiency by facilitating buying

and selling a produce without

personal selection.

Grading enhanced to set good price for

quality and graded products.

Heavy marketing cost in packing

and transportation

can be avoided by grading.

By grading, fairness to both

buyers and sellers will be

assured.

Handling:

• Improper handling may cause physicaldamage, change of composition andultimately loss of quality; hence careshould be taken during handling of organicproduce.

Following are the general instructions for handling

of organically produced crops.

• Any handling of organically produce thecrops should be optimized to maintain thequality and integrity of the product anddirected towards minimizing the loss ofquality.

• Organic products shall be protected from co-mingling with non-organic products. Organicand non-organic products shall not behandled and transported together exceptwhen labelled or physically separated.

• The certification programme shall setstandards to prevent and control pollutantsand contaminants during handling.

Contd…

• The certification programme may, grantexceptions where use is legally required orwhere severe dietary, or nutritionaldeficiency can be demonstrated.

• Where only part of the unit is certified andother products are non-organic, the organicproducts should be stored and handledseparately to maintain their identity.

Packaging:

❖ General Principles and recommendations:

➢ Ecologically sound materials should beused for the packaging of organic products.

➢ Packaging materials that affect the organicnature of the contents should be avoided.

Contd…

• Use of PVC materials is prohibited.Laminates and aluminum should beavoided.

• Recyclable and reusable systems shall beused wherever possible. Biodegradablepackaging materials shall be used.

• The materials used must not affect theorganoleptic character of the product ortransmit to it any substances in quantitiesthat may be harmful to human health.

Labelling:❖ Labelling shall convey clear and accurate

information on the organic status of theproduct.

• When the full standards requirements arefulfilled, products shall be sold as "produce oforganic agriculture" or a similar description.Single ingredient products may be labelled as"produce of organic agriculture" or a similardescription when all Standards requirementshave been met.

• Mixed products where not all ingredients,including additives, are of organic origin maybe labelled by mentioning raw materialweight.

Contd…

• Where a minimum of 95% of theingredients are of certified organic origin,products may be labelled "certifiedorganic" or similar and should carry thelogo of the certification programme. Whereless than 95% but not less than 70% of theingredients are of certified organic origin,products may not be called "organic".

Contd…

• Where less than 70% of the ingredients areof certified organic origin, the indicationthat an ingredient is organic may appear inthe ingredients list. Such product may notbe called "organic".

• Added water and salt shall not be includedin the percentage calculations of organicingredients. The label for in-conversionproducts shall be clearly distinguishablefrom the label for organic products.