Postharvest Quality Maintenance of Fruits and Vegetables in Developing Countries

Abstract

QUALITY COMPONENTSQuality of fruits and vegetables is a combination of attributes or properties that give them value in terms of human food. Components of quality include appearance, texture, flavor, and nutritive value (Table 1). Growers and shippers are concerned that their commodities have good appearance and few visual defects. But to them a useful cultivar of a given commodity must score high on yield, disease resistance, ease of harvest, and shipping quality. Plant breeders have given these characteristics higher priority over flavor and nutritional quality. To receivers and market distributors, quality of appearance is most important; they are also keenly interested in firmness and long storage life. Traditionally, postharvest biology and technology research has concentrated on using appearance and texture as parameters for quality evaluation (28). Consumers see quality fruits as ones that look good, are firm, and offer good flavor and nutritive value. Although they buy on the basis of appearance and feel, their satisfaction is dependent upon good eating quality.Fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables play a very significant role in human nutrition, especially as sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber (4,12,25,30). Postharvest losses in vitamin content, particularly vitamin C, can be substantial. These losses are enhanced by extended storage, higher temperature, low relative humidity, physical damage, and chilling injury (8). A large volume of data on composition and compositional changes of fruits and vegetables is available (14,15,29). But many gaps exist and further research is needed. As more becomes known about human

Morphological, Histological and Ultrastructural Changes in Fruit Epidermis of Apple Malus Domestica cv. Ligol (Rosaceae) at Fruit Set, Maturity and Storage

“…For successful commercialization, fruits have to meet a variety of stringent quality criteria such as firmness, attractive color, pleasant smell, juiciness, good flavor, proper size and a nongreasy surface (Tsukamoto, 1981;Kader, 1983;van Woensel et al, 1987;RichardsonHarman et al, 1998). Favorable climatic and cultivation conditions, protection against various pathogens, proper timing of the harvest and proper storage conditions are vital in ensuring high fruit quality.…”

USE of CHITOSAN COATING to REDUCE WATER LOSS and MAINTAIN QUALITY of CUCUMBER and BELL PEPPER FRUITS

“…Dessication and decay are the two major causes of the termination of commercial life span of cucumber and bell pepper (Kader 1983). The water loss resulting from transpiration causes not only shrinkage, wilting and softening of cucumber and bell pepper, but also accelerates senescence leading to deterioration.…”

Reduction of the incidence of postharvest quality losses, and future prospects

“…Whereas in developed countries the losses range between 2 and 20% as a result of waste-mostly caused by both retailers and consumers throwing away perfectly edible foodstuffs-in the developing countries the losses range between 5 and 50%, and they occur during the production, harvest, postharvest and processing phases, because of poor infrastructure, low levels of technology, and low investment in food production systems. The reason why the losses in retail and food services shops are higher in developed countries is because of the stringent quality controls in those countries (Kader 1980(Kader , 1983(Kader , 2003.…”