POST-HARVEST TREATMENTS

DR.SOUMYA AJIN.M.D
POST-HARVEST TREATMENTS
1. Pre-cooling (Low temperature) 8. Irradiation
2. Cleaning, washing, and trimming 9. Regulation of ripening -
3. Sorting, grading, and sizing Control/ethylene scavenging/ Degreening

4. High temperature – Curing / Drying / 10. Pulsing and tinting

Hot water treatments / Vapour heat 11. Minimal/ Light processing
treatment 12. Cold storage
5. Chemical treatment - Disinfestations/ 13. Packing
Sprout suppressants/Mineral
application/ethylene inhibitors(1-MCP)
6. Fruit coating (waxing)
7. Astringency removal
PRE-COOLING
• Pre cooling helps to removal of field heat (quick cooling) after harvest
of crops.
• Pre-cooling is done just above chilling and freezing temperature.
Advantages of pre-cooling:
• It removes the field heat
• Reduces the rate of respiration and ripening
• Reduces the loss of moisture
• Reduces the production of ethylene
• Reduces /inhibits the growth of spoilage organisms
WASHING
▪ To remove adhering dirt, stains, insects, molds and sometimes spray residues.
▪ With clean water (preferably with 100 – 150 ppm hypochlorite/chlorine) or
soap or calcium hydroxide.
▪ Most efficient detergent used is sodium meta bisulphate.
▪ Thumb rule is to use 1 to 2 ml of chlorine bleach per liter of water gives 100-
150 ppm of cl.
▪ Ph of the water must be around 6.5 to 7.5
DRESSING
• Removal, trimming and cutting of all undesirable leaves/ stem/ stalks/ roots/
other non-edible or unmarketable parts
▪ Dressing makes vegetables attractive and marketable.
▪ Trimming is done especially in vegetables and flowers to remove unwanted,
discoloured, rotting and insect damaged parts (e.g., cabbage, cauliflower etc.)
or parts that may favour deterioration or damage during later handling.
▪ Trimming and removal of decaying parts are preferably done prior to washing.
SORTING, SIZING AND GRADING
• Sorting is done by hand to remove the fruits and vegetables which are
unsuitable to market or storage due to damage.
• This is usually carried out manually and done before washing.

GRADING
• Classification based on quality incorporated commercial value, end use and
official standards is called grading.
Types of sizing

a) Diverging belts/rope grader - the different speed of belts makes produce rotate
besides moving forward to a point where produce diameter equals belt/rope, Eg.
cucumbers, pineapples, and large root vegetables
b) Sizing rollers - with increased spaces between rollers ,Eg. Citrus
c) Hand held template-Sizing can be performed manually using rings of known
diameter
d) Sizing by weight - sorting by weight is carried out in many crops with weight
sensitive trays. These automatically move fruit into another belt aggregating all
units of the same mass. Individual trays deposit fruit on the corresponding
conveyor belt, Eg. Citrus, apples and pear and irregular fruits
e) Mesh screens - e.g., potato, onion, anola etc.
HIGH TEMPERATURE
1. Curing- by holding the produce at high temperature and RH for several days, while harvesting
wounds heals and new protective layers of cell forms around wound’.Eg. Curing of potato takes place
in 1 days at 21*C ;2 days at 15*C ;3 days at 10*C.

2.Drying-Drying to preserve the fruits and vegetables by reducing the water activities below that which
support the growth of microorganisms and action of enzymes. Eg.: Onion and garlic dying in the field

3.Hot Water Treatments-Dipping of fruits in hot water of specific temperature for specified periods,
for the purpose of disease control or uniform ripening.
DEGREENING
Post harvest treatment of citrus fruits with ethylene under controlled conditions hastens the loss
of chlorophyll, a process known as ‘degreening’.This is mainly in non-climacteric fruits like citrus.
Degreening is done by 2 methods:
1. Exposing to ethylene
2. Artificial colouring
Chemical treatment

• 1.Disinfestation:
• Post harvest diseases of fruits, vegetables and flowers are caused by fungi and
bacteria but viruses are rare.
• These exist either as parasite (on living matter) or saprophytes (dead produce).
• Most fungi require acidic pH (2.5 – 6) condition in which they grow and develop,
while bacteria thrive best at neutral and few can grow at levels below pH 4.5.
• Bacteria therefore don’t usually infect fruits, normally but only vegetables and
flowers.
• Chlorine and sulfur dioxide are most widely used chemicals. It is used in
concentrations from 50 to 200 ppm in water to reduce the number of microorganisms
present on the surface of the fruit.
Damage by microorganism
• It mainly causes physical loss of the edible matter, which may be partial or total.
• Also affects marketability, particularly where mold growth is obvious on the produce surface.
• In some cases, the superficial infection also makes the produce either entirely unmarketable or
at least reduce its economic value.

Example:
Fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasitica which produce aflatoxin like mycotoxin on ground nut
kernels, coconut, dry beans and some leafy foods.
The apples juice is also affected by mycotoxin "patulin" produced by Penicillium patulum and P.
expansum, P.urticae, Aspergillus clavatus when stored for too long before being processed. This
mycotoxin is carcinogenic and has maximum permitted levels of 50 ppb in fruit juices.
SPROUT SUPPRESSION

• Sprouting can be suppressed by application of growth regulators on the crop.

• chemicals like Maleic Hydrazide (MH) are applied to the leaves of the crop at least 2 weeks
before harvesting.
• Potatoes - commercially CIPC (3-chloro –iso-propyl-N phenylcarbamate is also called
chloropropham).
FRUIT COATING (WAXING)
• Fruits and vegetables have a natural waxy layer on the whole surface and partly removed by
washing.

1.Natural waxing:It is thin coat of whitish substance, which is called bloom or natural waxing.
Ex: apple, pear, plum, mango and grapes.

2.Artificial waxing: To Prolong the shelf life of produce some of the fruit and vegetables are
dipped in a wax emulsion and then dried for few minutes.
❖ This process provides thin layer (<1 µ) of artificial wax on skin of the produce by which the
small pores present on the skin are fully covered and reduce the transpiration and respiration
process resulting in increased shelf life.
❖ Artificial waxes like solvent waxes, water waxes and paste or oil waxes are used.
IRRADIATION: Delay ripening and senescence,Controlling sprouting in potato, onion,
garlic and yams – 0.05-0.3kg,
Cobalt 60 is commonly used as a source of gamma-rays in food irradiation.

REGULATION OF THE RIPENING

• The ripening hormone, ethylene is known to trigger ripening in climacteric fruit and
senescence in non-climacteric.
• The risks of accidental exposure to ethylene can be minimized by reducing ethylene
concentrations in the storage environment with practices such as oxidation by potassium
permanganate, or ultraviolet light.
Ethylene inhibitors(1-MCP):
o The 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP or C4H6) is an ethylene action inhibitor.
o This nontoxic compound can be used at very low on concentrations.
o Inhibition of respiration and ethylene production, delayed fruit softening, restricted skin
color changes, prolonged cold storage life etc.
Pulsing
o Pulsing is ‘supplying a solution through transpiration stream.’
o Placing freshly harvested flowers for a relatively short time from few seconds to hours in a
solution specially formulated to extend their vase life. This process is also called as
hydration.
Tinting:
• Artificial colouration of flowers is called tinting. It is applied through
a. stem (carnation)
b. dipping the flowers heads (daisies)
WAXING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
• Waxes are classes of organic compounds. They are hydrophobic in nature (insoluble in
water).It gives shiny and glossy appearance.
• Waxing is recommended only for good quality products
• Waxing consists of applying a thin layer of edible wax to the outer surface of the product.
Type of waxes: -Carnauba wax, Bee wax,Shellac wax,Palm wax,Sugarcane wax
Waxing methods:-
• Liquid paraffin wax method,Slab wax method,Spray method,Dipping or cold wax method
Fruits includes:
• Pineapple,Mango,Orange,Guava,Grapes,Lemon,Papaya,Passion fruit
Vegetables includes:
• Cucumber,Eggplant,Sweet potato,Yam,Bitter gourd,Cassava,Peppers,Pumpkins,Tomato
1.Which of the following is not an advantage of blanching ?
A) For precooling
B) To preserve colour
C) To preserve flavor
D) To inactivate enzymes
1.Which of the following is not an advantage of blanching ?
A) For precooling
B) To preserve colour
C) To preserve flavor
D) To inactivate enzymes
2.What is other name for precooling?
a) Primary cooling
b) Preliminary cooling
c) Harvest cooling
d) Field heat cooling
2.What is other name for precooling?
a) Primary cooling
b) Preliminary cooling
c) Harvest cooling
d) Field heat cooling
3.Which of the following is used as precooling method for cauliflower?
a) Room cooling
b) Forced air cooling
c) Hydro cooling
d) Transit cooling
3.Which of the following is used as precooling method for cauliflower?
a) Room cooling
b) Forced air cooling
c) Hydro cooling
d) Transit cooling
Cauliflower is precooled by using forced air cooling. During forced air-
cooling, air is pulled rapidly through bins of vegetables. This increases
the effective surface area from that of the bin to that of the produce
inside.
4.Which of the following is used as precooling method for onion?
a) Packaging ice
b) Forced air cooling
c) Hydro cooling
d) Transit cooling
4.Which of the following is used as precooling method for onion?
a) Packaging ice
b) Forced air cooling
c) Hydro cooling
d) Transit cooling
In order to remove the field heat, the onions are precooled by using
ice. It helps in reducing the overall temperature of the product. It also
prevents the microbial growth. The onions are packed with ice in layers.
If the precooling exceeds the optimum time, then onions tend to
absorb moisture.
5.Which of the following is used as precooling method for leafy
vegetables?
a) Packaging ice
b) Forced air cooling
c) Hydro cooling
d) Transit cooling
5.Which of the following is used as precooling method for leafy vegetables?
a) Packaging ice
b) Forced air cooling
c) Hydro cooling
d) Transit cooling
Transit cooling is used as precooling method for leafy vegetables. It can also
be precooled by mechanical refrigeration. Since the leafy vegetables are
perishable in nature, the mechanical cooling is preferred over other
methods. It is quick method of precooling. But it has high energy
requirement.
6.Which of the following vegetable undergoes curing process?
a) Sweet potato
b) Cauliflower
c) Tomato
d) Egg plant
6.Which of the following vegetable undergoes curing process?
a) Sweet potato
b) Cauliflower
c) Tomato
d) Egg plant

Curing is an effective operation to decrease the moisture content during

storage from hardy vegetables. Vegetables like onion, garlic, sweet potato
and other tropical root vegetables undergo curing process. It helps in healing
of harvest injuries, reduces loss of water and prevents infection by
pathogens.
 7.Why is the transpiration important during postharvest handling?
a) To maintain optimal growth temperatures
b) To maintain optimal growth pressure
c) To maintain optimal growth relative humidity
d) To maintain optimal growth water activity
 7.Why is the transpiration important during postharvest handling?
a) To maintain optimal growth temperatures
b) To maintain optimal growth pressure
c) To maintain optimal growth relative humidity
d) To maintain optimal growth water activity
Transpiration is vital to maintaining optimal growth temperatures in
growing plants. The moisture holding capacity of air increases with
temperature. Water loss is directly proportional to the vapor pressure
difference (VPD) between the commodity and its environment.
8.What is meant by postharvest losses?
a) Measurable quantitative and qualitative loss
b) Measurable qualitative loss
c) Measurable quantitative loss
d) Measurable microbial loss
8.What is meant by postharvest losses?
a) Measurable quantitative and qualitative loss
b) Measurable qualitative loss
c) Measurable quantitative loss
d) Measurable microbial loss
9.How does temperature affect postharvest quality of vegetables?
a) Reduces rate of respiration
b) Increases rate of respiration
c) Maintains the rate of respiration
d) No effect on the rate of respiration