EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN QUALITY AND EXTEND THE SHELF LIFE OF TANGERINE CITRUS FRUITS WITH PACKAGING AND STORAGE TEMPERATURE

Citrus fruit is a non-climacteric fruit, this fruit must be picked when it is ripe optimally. Post-harvest methods include harvest collection, washing and cleaning, quality classification, packaging and storage. Apart from being expected to have a good shelf life, citrus fruit must also have hight quality and be able to maintain its nutritional content for consumers' needs. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of storage and packaging temperatures on changes in the quality and shelf life of Tangerine Citrus. The research was conducted in October to November 2021 at the Laboratory of Agrotechnology, Trilogi University. This research method uses a randomized block design consisting of two factors and three replications. The first factor is that packaging consists of two levels, namely packaging using wrapping and non-wrapping. The second factor is temperature which consists of two levels: 15°C and 25°C. The result of this study is that citrus with a non-wrapping treatment with a storage temperature of 15 oC is the best treatment and can be consumed up to 8 days after treatment, this can be seen from some of the lowest weight shrinkage percentage, scoring appearance, color, and taste that is still acceptable to consumers compared to other treatments

Indigenous and Improved Postharvest Handling Methods and Processing of Fruits

After harvesting, fresh fruit’s quality cannot be improved but it can be maintained. Fruits should be harvested at the appropriate maturity stage and size. Harvesting of fruits at improper maturity stage reduces shelf-life. Time of harvest, method of harvest, tools used in harvesting also contribute to the wholesomeness of harvested fruits. Fruits are living organisms that continue their living processes after harvest; therefore, their handling directly affects freshness as well as optimum flavor. Maintaining cool temperatures, appropriate air combination to maintain the quality of fruits, producers, handlers, and retailers are to ensure that fruits going for processing, marketing, or into storage are at the best quality state. Indigenous handling refers to the native, age-long, cultural system of postharvest handling of horticultural crops. Postharvest handling comprises interconnected activities from harvest to sorting, grading, preservation, transportation, packaging, processing, marketing, and decision by the consumer to accept or reject the food. Improvement is the enhancement made on the traditional postharvest handling methods to reduce losses of agricultural produce by at least 5%. Various means have been developed over time to handle and preserve food and particularly fruits over ages of technology advancement from the Stone Age

Development of an Alginate-based Antimicrobial Edible Coating to Extend the Shelf-life of Fresh-cut Pineapple

In the last few years, especially in the developed countries, an increment in demand for fresh-cut fruit by the consumers of all ages has occurred. This increase is mainly due to the importance that people are giving to the consumption of fresh, healthy, and low-calorie food products. Fresh-cut pineapple (Ananas comosus) is one of the fruits that consumers can eat quickly and still enjoy its benefits; however, its shelf-life is very short (7 days). A means to preserve all the natural and beneficial components of fresh-cut pineapple is coating the fruit with an edible material, a coating. This coating acts as a barrier against moisture loss and gas exchanges and can be a carrier of other components like antimicrobials, which can help to extend the shelf-life of the fresh-cut fruit. The main objective of this study was to develop an edible coating with an antimicrobial agent for fresh-cut pineapple and to determine its effectiveness in extending shelf-life and preserving fruit quality attributes. Different treatments consisted of several concentrations of sodium alginate (0.5%, 1%, and 2%); beta-cyclodextrin, trans-cinnamaldehyde (antimicrobial), pectin, and calcium chloride were tested for formulation of the edible coating. The layer-by-layer technique with a dipping method was used to coat the fruits. Pineapples were properly cleaned with a chlorine solution (300 ppm) and triangular prisms (3.6 cm per side) were cut using a triangular cutter. The length of the triangular prisms was adjusted to 2.54 cm using a small knife measured with a ruler. Color, texture, pH, degrees Brix (total soluble solids), acidity, vitamin C, moisture content, and weight loss, were monitored every 3 to 4 days for 15 days. Microbiological tests (aerobic plate counts, psychrotrophic counts, and yeast and molds counts) were performed to determine the effectiveness of the antimicrobial compound. In terms of microbiological and physicochemical quality attributes, the coating improved the shelf-life of the fresh-cut pineapple up to 12 days compared to the control (fresh-cut pineapple without the coating) which only lasted 7 days at 4 degrees C. Color, texture and pH, were better preserved in the treated (coated) fruit compared to controls (uncoated). Different concentrations of the solutions in the formation of the coating had different results in terms of the preservation of the quality attributes of the fruit. Antimicrobial coatings with a concentration of alginate of 1% and 2% (w/w), pectin 2% (w/w) and calcium chloride 2% (w/w) presented a satisfactory formulation to preserve fruit quality attributes like moisture content, help to control juice leakage, and avoid microbial growth. Antimicrobial coating with 1% of alginate (w/w), 2% of pectin (w/w), 2% of calcium chloride (w/w) and 2% of antimicrobial compound (w/w) was the best formulation. This research demonstrates the feasibility of an alginate-based antimicrobial edible coating, which acts as a carrier of antimicrobial compounds for fresh-cut pineapple

ADVANCEMENT IN HARVESTING, PRE- COOLING AND GRADING OF FRUITS.

Generally, quality grading includes outer parameters (size, color intensity, color homogeneity, bruises, shape, stem identification surface texture and mass), inner parameters (sweetness, acidity or inner diseases) and freshness. All horticultural crops are high in water content and are subjected to desiccation and to mechanical injury. That is why these perishable commodities need very careful handling at every stage so that deterioration of produce is restricted as much as possible during the period between harvest and consumption.  Horticultural maturity is the stage of development when plant and plant part possesses the pre- requisites for use by consumers for a particular purpose i.e, ready to harvest. Post harvest handling is the final stage in the process of producing high quality fresh produce. Being able to maintain a level of freshness from the field to the dinner table presents many challenges. A grower who can meet these challenges will be able to expand his or her marketing opportunities and be better able to compete in the market place. Â

Postharvest Technologies of Fresh Citrus Fruit: Advances and Recent Developments for the Loss Reduction during Handling and Storage

Citrus spp. are spread mainly in the Mediterranean basin and represent the largest fruit source for human consumption. Postharvest losses, mainly due to diseases and metabolic disorders of fruits, can cause severe wastage, reaching 30 to 50% of the total production. Preserving quality and extending shelf life are essential objectives for postharvest technological innovation, determined by the proper handling, treatment, storage and transport of harvested produce. Moreover, the application of novel sustainable strategies is critical for the reduction of synthetic fungicide residues on fruit surfaces and the impact on the environment caused by waste disposal of fungicides. In this article, the current knowledge about the safest and more sustainable strategies, as well as advanced postharvest handling and storage technologies, will be critically reviewed

Alternative Eco-Friendly Methods in the Control of Post-Harvest Decay of Tropical and Subtropical Fruits

The effectiveness on several fruits by the application of alternative methods against fungi is summarized in the present chapter. Several investigations have reported the efficacy of these technologies for controlling fungal infections. Currently, high post-harvest loses have been reported due to several factors such as inefficient management, lack of training for farmers, and problems with appropriate conditions for storage of fruits and vegetables. Even now, in many countries, post-harvest disease control is led by the application of chemical fungicides. However, in this time, awareness about fungi resistance, environmental, and health issues has led to the research of eco-friendly and effective alternatives for disease management. The pathogen establishment on fruits can be affected by the application of GRAS compounds like chitosan, essential oils, salts, among others; besides, their efficacy can be enhanced by their combination with other technologies like ultrasound. Thus, the applications of these alternatives are suitable approaches for post-harvest management of fruits

Non-destructive determination of pre-symptomatic biochemical markers for Peteca spot and evaluation of edible coatings for reducing the incidence of the disorder on ‘Eureka’ lemons

Masters degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.International markets that import citrus fruit from South Africa have imposed regulations that involve cold sterilization at low temperatures, which cause physiological disorders such as peteca spot in lemon. The aim of this study was to, non-destructively determine pre-symptomatic biochemical markers for Peteca spot and the evaluation of edible coatings for reducing the incidence of the disorder on ‘Eureka’ lemons. The first chapter is general background which introduces the key words and clearly outlines the aim and objectives of the study. The second chapter is review of literature, which motivated the three research chapters due to the gaps found. Presymptomatic biochemical markers that are related to peteca spot were evaluated in the third chapter. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was able to separate fruit harvested from the inside and outside canopy positions based on their susceptibility to the disorder. Fruit harvested in the inside canopy were more susceptible to peteca spot and these were correlated with physic-chemical properties, which were typically low in the inside canopy. The efficacy of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and chitosan (CH) incorporated with moringa leaf extracts (M) edible coatings on reducing the incidence of peteca spot was also evaluated in the fourth chapter. Fruit harvested from inside and outside canopy positions were assigned to five coating treatments: control, M+CMC, CMC, CH and M+CH. The most effective coating treatment in reducing the susceptibility of ‘Eureka’ lemon to peteca spot was M+CMC followed by CMC and CH. The fifth chapter focused on, non-destructively predicting peteca spot using visible to near infrared spectroscopy (vis/NIRS). Presymptomatic biochemical markers that have been related to peteca spot were successfully predicted. Lastly, general discussions and conclusions were made in chapter six as well as recommendations

Development of an Alginate-based Antimicrobial Edible Coating to Extend the Shelf-life of Fresh-cut Pineapple

In the last few years, especially in the developed countries, an increment in demand for fresh-cut fruit by the consumers of all ages has occurred. This increase is mainly due to the importance that people are giving to the consumption of fresh, healthy, and low-calorie food products. Fresh-cut pineapple (Ananas comosus) is one of the fruits that consumers can eat quickly and still enjoy its benefits; however, its shelf-life is very short (7 days). A means to preserve all the natural and beneficial components of fresh-cut pineapple is coating the fruit with an edible material, a coating. This coating acts as a barrier against moisture loss and gas exchanges and can be a carrier of other components like antimicrobials, which can help to extend the shelf-life of the fresh-cut fruit. The main objective of this study was to develop an edible coating with an antimicrobial agent for fresh-cut pineapple and to determine its effectiveness in extending shelf-life and preserving fruit quality attributes. Different treatments consisted of several concentrations of sodium alginate (0.5%, 1%, and 2%); beta-cyclodextrin, trans-cinnamaldehyde (antimicrobial), pectin, and calcium chloride were tested for formulation of the edible coating. The layer-by-layer technique with a dipping method was used to coat the fruits. Pineapples were properly cleaned with a chlorine solution (300 ppm) and triangular prisms (3.6 cm per side) were cut using a triangular cutter. The length of the triangular prisms was adjusted to 2.54 cm using a small knife measured with a ruler. Color, texture, pH, degrees Brix (total soluble solids), acidity, vitamin C, moisture content, and weight loss, were monitored every 3 to 4 days for 15 days. Microbiological tests (aerobic plate counts, psychrotrophic counts, and yeast and molds counts) were performed to determine the effectiveness of the antimicrobial compound. In terms of microbiological and physicochemical quality attributes, the coating improved the shelf-life of the fresh-cut pineapple up to 12 days compared to the control (fresh-cut pineapple without the coating) which only lasted 7 days at 4 degrees C. Color, texture and pH, were better preserved in the treated (coated) fruit compared to controls (uncoated). Different concentrations of the solutions in the formation of the coating had different results in terms of the preservation of the quality attributes of the fruit. Antimicrobial coatings with a concentration of alginate of 1% and 2% (w/w), pectin 2% (w/w) and calcium chloride 2% (w/w) presented a satisfactory formulation to preserve fruit quality attributes like moisture content, help to control juice leakage, and avoid microbial growth. Antimicrobial coating with 1% of alginate (w/w), 2% of pectin (w/w), 2% of calcium chloride (w/w) and 2% of antimicrobial compound (w/w) was the best formulation. This research demonstrates the feasibility of an alginate-based antimicrobial edible coating, which acts as a carrier of antimicrobial compounds for fresh-cut pineapple

Fruits: nutritious, colourful, yet fragile gifts of nature

Fruits, which are consumed because of their excellent taste and health benefits, mainly contribute carbohydrate, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals to balance the human diet. Fruits have been a part of the human diet since the dawn of history but their nutritional importance has only been recognised in recent times. Commerce in fruits began in the 1980’s when awareness on their nutritional importance has risen. Since then, its demand in the international markets has also increased tremendously. Hence, many tropical countries have moved from small, scattered farms to large commercial fruit plantations. Malaysia went through a series of phases since the inception of the National Agricultural Policy in 1984 to develop its fruit industry to reach its present status- able to be a leading exporter of some tropical fruits. It is not possible to improve the quality of fruits once the fruits harvested but they can be preserved by slowing down the rate of undesirable changes, which leads to a reduction in their quality. Postharvest qualities of fruits are affected by pre-harvest factors, stage of maturity at harvest and postharvest factors. This is due to the fact that there are many physico-chemical changes taking place during growth, maturation, ripening and senescence stages in the life span of the fruit. A range of environmental conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric compositions and mechanical injury can influence the rate at which these changes occur in harvested fruits. All these can be manipulated by careful management of the postharvest handling system for maintenance of quality and extension of shelf life of the fruits. Proper postharvest handling practices are essential to reduce postharvest losses and maintain overall quality of fruits after harvest. Human factors such as handling practices and attitudes, and technical aspects such as improper infrastructure and handling techniques could contribute to these losses. Due to change in the life style especially in urban areas, convenient and ready-to-eat fresh-cut fruits, which is also referred to as minimally processed fruits are becoming more popular in the last two decades. However, there are problems associated to it. Hence, studies were conducted to overcome these problems. Apart from the increasing demands for fresh-cut fruits, there is also a trend during the same period of time, where consumers consume fruits not only for its nutritional contents but emphasis is also given to its functional properties. The way forward for the fruit industry globally, including Malaysia, is to develop technology both for whole, intact and minimally processed fruits for shelf-life extension and quality maintenance not only from the perspective of nutritional aspects but also to give emphasis on the stability of the functional properties when they are being subjected to the different postharvest technologies at different stages of the distribution chains (whole, intact fruits) and preparation (minimally processed fruits)

Improved Postharvest Techniques for Fruit Coatings

Fruits, particularly tropical fruits, have a high moisture content, distinct morphological characteristics, and physiological changes, all of which contribute to their high rate of perishability. Nonetheless, their organoleptic and nutritional qualities make them one of the most important horticultural products. Fruit coating, which imitates natural packaging, is a postharvest solution that is practical and cost-effective for a variety of applications, including on-shelf display, transportation, and storage in support of the supply chain of fruits and vegetables. Gas and moisture permeability, microbiological resistance, and esthetic enhancement are the coating functions. Using modified materials and procedures, edible coatings for fresh and freshly cut fruits are currently being developed. Edible coatings infused with essential oils or volatiles may help to prevent disease resistance while also providing consumers with a fragrant preference. When considering how to advance fruit coating technology when agricultural wastes are the primary source of new coating materials, composite coatings, nanoparticles, encapsulation, and multiple-layer coatings all hold a great deal of promise. Future research may center on the optimal material for particular fruits during the logistics phase