Postharvest Technology Research Articles

Nanotechnology Interventions in Fruit Production: Enhancing Production and Quality

Nanotechnology has gained significant importance in enhancing fruit production and quality, offering novel solutions to challenges faced by traditional horticultural practices. The various applications of nanotechnology in fruit cultivation, focusing on Nano fertilizers, nanopesticides, nano-based fungicides, and post-harvest management technologies. Nanofertilizers have shown promise in improving nutrient uptake efficiency, stimulating vegetative and reproductive growth, enhancing yield, and reducing environmental impacts compared to conventional fertilizers. Similarly, nanopesticides and nanofungicides provide targeted pest and disease management, reducing the overuse of chemical inputs and minimizing their harmful effects on soil health. Post-harvest nanotechnologies, such as silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles, have been effective in extending the shelf life of fruits by preventing microbial decay and maintaining fruit firmness. Innovations in smart packaging, such as nanocomposite films and nano coatings, help slow down ripening and spoilage, significantly reducing post-harvest losses. Precision fruit cultivation techniques utilizing nanosensors and nano-based biosensors offer enhanced monitoring of soil conditions, nutrient levels, and early pathogen detection, improving overall fruit quality and sustainability. Despite these advancements, the widespread adoption of nanotechnology in fruit production is still limited by concerns related to public acceptance, potential environmental impacts, and regulatory challenges. Continued research is needed to address these issues and to explore the full potential of nanotechnology in fruit production.

Recent Advances in Postharvest Application of Exogenous Phytohormones for Quality Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables.

The increasing global population has heightened the demand for food, leading to escalated food production and, consequently, the generation of significant food waste. Factors such as rapid ripening, susceptibility to physiological disorders, and vulnerability to microbial attacks have been implicated as contributing to the accelerated senescence associated with food waste generation. Fruits and vegetables, characterized by their high perishability, account for approximately half of all food waste produced, rendering them a major area of concern. Various postharvest technologies have thus been employed, including the application of phytohormone treatments, to safeguard and extend the storability of highly perishable food products. This review, therefore, explores the physicochemical properties and biological aspects of phytohormones that render them suitable for food preservation. Furthermore, this review examines the effects of externally applied phytohormones on the postharvest physiology and quality attributes of fresh produce. Finally, the review investigates the mechanisms by which exogenous phytohormones preserve food quality and discusses the associated limitations and safety considerations related to the use of these compounds in food applications.

Quality maintenance and metabolite changes of grape berry treated by high voltage alternating electric field during near-freezing temperature storage

High Voltage Alternating Electric Field (HVAEF), as an emerging postharvest preservation technology, is environmentally friendly and has garnered significant attention from scholars. This study investigated the effects of HVAEF on the postharvest quality and metabolite changes in ‘Shine Muscat’ grapes stored at near-freezing temperatures. The results demonstrated that HVAEF halved the weight loss and decay rate, inhibited browning by preserving polyphenol content, and reduced polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities, thereby extending the storage time by more than 20 days. Metabolomic analysis of the grape berries from the upper, middle, and bottom parts of the bunch revealed that the upper berries contained higher sugar levels and were more significantly influenced by HVAEF treatment. Additionally, HVAEF notably reduced the accumulation of amino acids, such as valine, leucine, and lysine, compared to the control. This study provides new insights into the enhancement of quality in fresh fruits and vegetables through HVAEF technology.

Processing, Value Addition and Post-Harvest Technology of Tomato: A Scoping Review on Global and Indian Perspective

India, with its favorable climatic conditions, is a major producer of tomatoes, ranking second globally. However, the tomato processing sector in India is underdeveloped, with only 1% of the produce being processed compared to developed nations such as Italy (64.02%), Spain (39.41%) and the United States (10.34%). Of the more than 180 million tonnes of tomatoes produced annually, around 40 million tonnes are processed. India's substantial tomato output, which occurs primarily in the winter, has made it a prominent participant in the global tomato processing industry. This would help the Indian market utilize tomato-based goods throughout the off-season. Lycopene, a beneficial compound, is found to be higher in processed tomato products compared to fresh tomatoes. Prominent companies in the Indian tomato processing industry include Hindustan Unilever, Nestle India, Mother Dairy, and Dabur India. Despite the potential, the sector faces challenges such as inadequate processing facilities and limited varieties suitable for processing, leading to substantial post-harvest losses. The demand for tomato-processed products in India has been increasing at 30% annually in recent years, with a rising variety of products being offered. Increased support, improved supply chain management, and adoption of advanced processing techniques could reduce wastage, add value, and enable India to become a prominent player in the global tomato processing industry. With the adoption of modern technologies such as automated sorting, grading, and cold storage facilities, the efficiency of the tomato processing industry can improve. This would reduce post-harvest losses and ensure better quality control.

The quality of chili (Capsicum annum L.) during storage after ozone water treatment

Abstract Chili is one of the main agricultural commodities. During the peak harvest season, there is an increase in chili production, so it is necessary to apply post-harvest handling technology to maintain the quality of chili, one of which is through the application of ozone technology. The object of this study is to evaluate the quality of chili (Capsicum annum L.) during storage after ozone water treatment. The material used in this study was curly chilies; the treatments used 2 types of storage temperatures (28 °C and 3 °C) and 2 types of washing processes (soaking and spraying). Observations were made on days 0, 7, and 14. Parameters observed included weight loss, moisture content, total bacteria, and total yeast. The results showed that the total bacteria value on day 7 decreased to 1 x 105 CFU/g. The total yeast of chilies with ozone treatment showed a significant reduction in total yeast compared to the control treatment. The weight loss of control chilies and washed chilies stored at room temperature after being stored for 14 days was in the range of 29.64% to 58.94%. The highest moisture content was obtained by spray treatment and stored at 3 °C.

Impact of Shelf life on the Quality of Cocoa Butter Extracted by Screw Press

Aims: To evaluate the changes in the quality of cocoa butter during storage extracted using the developed screw press-type cocoa butter extractor. Study Design: Statistical analysis was done using t-test. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Processing and Food Engineering lab, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Food Technology, Tavanur under ICAR-AICRP on Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology Scheme for 3 months. Methodology: Shelf life study of the cocoa butter extracted at optimized condition (100ºC barrel temperature, 50 rpm screw speed, 2 kg/hr feed rate) was done in polyethylene pouch of 80 micron thickness and stored under ambient temperature (25±5°C) for a period of 3 months. Various quality parameters viz., free fatty acid, iodine number, peroxide number, moisture content and water activity of stored butter were determined at regular intervals of 30 days for 3 months. Results: Statistical analysis (t-test) showed that, there was no significant changes in the quality of cocoa butter during storage. The quality parameters of cocoa butter viz.,free fatty acid (1.28%), iodine number (34.74), peroxide value (1.685), moisture content (0.15%) and water activity (0.645) were within the allowable limits recommended by CODEX standards even after 3 months of storage. Conclusion: During the course of storage, all quality parameters viz., free fatty acid, peroxide value, iodine number, moisture content and water activity were found to be increased. However, all the quality parameters of cocoa butter stored under ambient temperature were within the acceptable limit prescribed by CODEX standards till 90 days with constant quality attributes.

Assessment of plum quality changes during postharvest storage using multispectral NIR technique

Plums are perishable fruit, and agriculture demands rapid nondestructive methods to be able to make decision on the storability and optimal postharvest technology. This study aimed to apply a multispectral technique utilizing selected NIR wavelengths to assess the quality of two plum cultivars popular on the Hungarian market. Samples of ‘Stanley’ and ‘Elena’ were stored at 1 °C, 5 °C, 10 °C and 15 °C for up to 24 days. The five bands at 906, 1060, 1336, 1454, and 1680 nm were selected based on the standard deviation values of the normalized spectra. These wavelengths are associated with vibrational overtones and combinations of C-H and O-H bonds. ANOVA confirmed the sensitive response of selected wavelengths to storage conditions, while the correlation analysis found significant relationship among absorbance readings, weight loss (WL) and soluble solids content (SSC). The SVM models achieved better performance in predicting WL and SSC in terms of R2, RMSEP, and RPD compared to PLSR. The validation revealed that SSC can be predicted using single SVM model for both cultivars with R2 = 0.984 and RMSEP = 0.196 %, while WL reached R2 = 0.853 and RMSEP = 1.188 %. Results suggest that prediction of WL requires individual model for each cultivar while prediction of SSC might work with one model for these cultivars.

Post Harvest Management Techniques of Few Selected Crops in Assam, India

Reducing agricultural loss or waste is the ultimate goal of post-harvest management techniques. Post-harvest management has become crucial in the present environment of growing population and declining agricultural land and other resources. Ensuring food security in a manner that is safe for both humans and the environment is currently the world's top priority. The FAO estimates that in order to feed the nine billion people on the planet by 2050, food production would need to rise by seventy percent. Therefore, a deep comprehension of the roles played by agro-ecosystems is necessary. A vast number of agricultural products has been produced in recent years, yet there has been a lack of advancement and uptake of post-harvest technologies, leading to significant post-harvest losses. Agricultural crops have 16–36% post-harvest losses each year due to microbiological, physiological, and mechanical losses. Because most products are highly perishable, they require much more care and strategies to ensure that value addition and processing are encouraged. The value chain for processing has become essential to enhancing national food security and promoting food safety. The value chain in agriculture crops post-harvest management includes pre-harvest variables, harvesting, market preparation (pre-cooling, sorting, grading, packaging, and on-farm storage), transportation, storage, value addition/processing, and by-product waste management. The chapter focuses mostly on few selected fruit, vegetable, and cereal crops while discussing current advancements in post-harvest technology and food crop value addition.

Bulbs to blooms: advancements in sustainable lilium farming

The commercial cultivation and marketing of cut flowers presents significant opportunities. The market for exotic cut flowers is expanding day to day. Lilium holds a significant position in cut flower industry and is recognized as one of the top ten major varieties in the global floriculture sector. Its cultivation in non-traditional areas needs to be explored to meet the increasing demand. Hence, different research work has been undertaken in different places in order to standardize the cultivation of Lilium in open conditions. However, its cultivation is now being done under protected structures for better quality and yield. Furthermore, the practice of protected cultivation makes it possible to grow Lilium in non-traditional areas. An effort has been made to compile the production techniques developed for the commercial production of Lilium, such as higher yielding cultivars, suitable propagation techniques, intercultural operations, insect-pest disease management and post-harvest technology. These techniques will be replicated in non-traditional areas after proper validation.

Effects of pulsed magnetic field intensity on the freezing rate and heat loads reduction of harvested mango and tomato

PurposeFresh fruits and vegetables (FV) are crucial global food resources, but the presence of heat loads during harvest adversely impacts their shelf life. While freezing technology provides an effective means of removing heat loads, it is an energy-intensive process and may consequently prove too costly for practical business viability. The growing interest in utilizing magnetic field (MF) technology during the freezing of fresh FV enhances the freezing rate and rapidly removes the heat loads of products.Design/methodology/approachIn the present study, pulsed magnetic field (PMF) pretreatment employing specific field strengths (9 T, 14 T and 20 T) was examined as a preliminary step before freezing mango and tomato and compared to the conventional freezing method (untreated) at − 18 °C.FindingsPMF pretreatment prior to freezing demonstrated a noteworthy enhancement in freezing rate by around 10 and 12% when compared with the conventional (untreated) freezing, which exhibited freezing rates of −0.08 °C/min and −1.10 °C/min for mango and tomato, respectively. The PMF pretreatment (at 20 T) provided a higher freezing rate (at p = 0.05) than the conventional freezing method reduced heat loads amounting to 1.1 × 107 J/kg oC and 2.9 × 106 J/kg oC, significantly (at p = 0.05) from mango and tomato, respectively. These reductions in heat loads were approximately more than 5% of the calculated heat loads removed during conventional freezing.Research limitations/implicationsMango and tomato samples were only tested; the results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test for other products for further studies.Practical implicationsThe paper includes implications for the development of a rapid freezing technique, the development of “pulsed magnetic field” and for eliminating the problem associated with conventional (slow) freezing.Originality/valueThe study holds significance for the production of postharvest freezing technology, providing insightful information on the PMF-assisted freezing of cellular foods.

Modeling the critical causal factors of postharvest losses in the vegetable supply chain in eThekwini metropolitan municipality: The log-linear regression model

Vegetables, rich in essential bioactive compounds, are crucial for human health and vital to the global food system. However, the supply chain for vegetables is intricate, marked by product seasonality, demand variability, and limited shelf life. These factors contribute to significant losses, with 44 % of global vegetable production wasted at various stages in the food chain. Postharvest losses (PHLs) are a considerable issue, posing risks to food security and economic sustainability. Despite numerous interventions aimed at reducing PHLs, a comprehensive understanding of the primary causes remains insufficient, preventing the implementation of practical solutions. The study investigates the factors causing PHLs in the vegetable supply chain. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data from 238 farmers. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design and a multi-stratified random sampling method. Descriptive statistics and log-linear regression were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that 56 % of the farmers were women, with an average age of 45 and a household size of five. Most farmers had completed 12 years of education, with 76 % being unemployed and 78 % depending on farming as their primary source of income. The regression analysis showed that age, distance to markets, and lack of transportation were significant factors at the 1 % level. In contrast, education, farming experience, market access, and weather conditions were significant at the 5 % level. The study recommends policies promoting innovative postharvest technologies alongside investment in infrastructure to mitigate these losses.

Feasibility Model Of Controlled Atmosphere Storage Implementation For Shallot Farmers In West Java

Smart postharvest technology in the form of Controlled Atmosphere Storage (CAS) is needed to increase the shelf life of shallot. However, the application of CAS requires high investment costs related to the initial setup such as land, warehouse, CAS, and CAS supporting equipment. Thus, it is necessary to analyze the benefits and costs for farmers' welfare reflected by adding the amount of farming margin and income from other sources considering the time adjustment. This study aims to build a dynamic model for the application of CAS technology in shallot farming and evaluate its costs and benefits for farmers' welfare. The method used is the integration of cost and benefit analysis into a dynamic system model. The results showed that shallot farmers’ income is very sensitive to price changes and increasing storage costs. Hence, adopting CAS technology could mitigate some of these effects by reducing post-harvest losses and allowing farmers to store their production in favorable situations. Moreover, the CAS model showed that in the management level, CAS could be feasible (in terms of NPV, IRR, and Net B/C), if the storage cost is at least IDR 2.000/kg. According to the minimum profit limit for farmers, the maximum storage cost is IDR 1.500/kg, which makes the CAS unfeasible to run. The successful adoption of CAS is contingent upon substantial financial support from both private-sector investors and government entities. Therefore, the CAS technology is more appropriate for adoption by stakeholders in the food industry who require a consistent year-round supply of shallots.

Investigating the Impact of Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Oil-in-Water Nanoemulsion on Cell Membrane Degradation and Inhibition of C. gloeosporioides in Postharvest Technology

Investigating the Impact of Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Oil-in-Water Nanoemulsion on Cell Membrane Degradation and Inhibition of C. gloeosporioides in Postharvest Technology

Post-Harvest Alternatives in Banana Cultivation

Banana, also known as plátano in some places, is a fruit consumed and appreciated around the world. Its scientific name is Musa paradisiaca, belonging to the Musaceae family. It is native to Southeast Asia and is currently grown in 130 countries in tropical and subtropical regions. This fruit is harvested throughout the year; 75% is generated mainly in India, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and China. Post-harvest technology enables efficient processing, storage, transportation, and distribution while preserving the quality and safety of the fruit to reduce economic losses. Currently, challenges are being investigated for post-harvest treatments to minimize the environmental impact, reduce polluting emissions, and the requirement for less energy consumption. The most-used options for bananas are de-greening, atmospheric modification, coatings, and frigoconservation, which are important for achieving safe, healthy, and high-quality food in the XXI century. This review details the post-harvest mechanical damage, handling of environmental parameters (temperature and relative humidity), control of gases involved in storage and transport, wax treatment, coatings, the use of antifungal compounds, and packaging necessary for the export of the fruit.

Improving mango shelf-life using PVA composite films prepared with Zn-doped carbon quantum dots derived from crayfish shells

Food packaging plays a vital role in preserving various agricultural and food commodities for postharvest management. This study aimed to investigate postharvest preservation technologies for mangoes using composite films made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Zn-doped carbon quantum dots (Zn-CQDs). The results showed a marked increase in the antibacterial potential of the composite films after Zn doping. Furthermore, the addition of Zn-CQDs significantly improved the mechanical properties, thermal stability and ultraviolet absorption of the Zn-CQDs/PVA composite films. In addition, the mango preservation experiment demonstrated that the 5% Zn-CQDs/PVA composite film was effective in delaying the decline in mango hardness (the composite film group was 63.2% higher than the control), VC content (the composite film group was 27.5% higher than the control), titratable acid content (the composite film group was 149% higher than the control), and the incline of disease index (the composite film group was 23.1% lower than the control), total soluble solids (the composite film group was 27.3% lower than the control), and weight loss rate (the composite film group was 25.7% lower than the control). These findings suggest that the Zn-CQDs/PVA composite films hold great potential as a new type of active packaging in the food industry.

Production of cinnamon essential oil-loaded electrospun nanofiber for postharvest technology application usage

Production of cinnamon essential oil-loaded electrospun nanofiber for postharvest technology application usage

Evaluation of Applied Tuna-Jacket, a Post-Harvest Technology of Tuna Handlines in Maluku Waters, Indonesia

Evaluation of Applied Tuna-Jacket, a Post-Harvest Technology of Tuna Handlines in Maluku Waters, Indonesia

Assessing the role of technology transfer and participatory technology development on farmers crop yield and income in Shawa village of Zalingei, Central Darfur State

This study is aiming at assessing the role of technology transfer and participatory technology development on farmers’ crop yield and income in Shawa village of Zalingei locality during 2022/2023 cropping rainy season. Clustered random sampling technique applied. Demonstration farm was established in an area of 1.5 feddan. Farmers field schools (FFSs) of 25 men and women farmers selected. Participatory Technology Development (PTD) for men and women farmers was also developed in an area of 1.5 feddan. Improved seeds will be grown versus local check. Each treatment comprising NPK fertilizer micro dose (0. 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 gram/ hole) randomly practiced. Fertilizer micro dose with percentage of 17-17-17 was added and mixed with seeds per hole at planting method. All farmers experienced to practical and theoretical farming of FFSs training in all research technical packages of land preparation, sowing date, seed preparation, seed dressing, thinning, weeding, water harvesting, soil conservation, pests and diseases control, seed production technologies, harvest and post harvest technologies. Results of partial crop budget revealed that all crops finically gave positive net returns. The highest yield kg/ha was obtained by Sorghum Wad-Ahmed 3500, Sorghum Butana with 3250, 3000 kg/ha for sorghum local and G/nut Gibaish, while the lowest yield/ha shown by sesame local (776 kg/ha). Therefore, the highest net returns was recorded by sorghum Butana (SDG 329048), sorghum wad-Ahmed (SDG 295477), sorghum local (SDG 269048) and G/nut Gibaish (SDG 108990). While the lowest net returns was computed by G/nut local with SDG 21,381. Results of marginal analysis revealed that sorghum Butana gave the highest MRR 1230. Results of Participatory Technology Development (PTD) of improved yields against local indicated that, the highest yield obtained by sorghum Wad-Ahmed and G/nut Gibaish (1100 and 950 kg/feddan), respectively. While the lowest yield obtained by sesame local (195 kg/feddan). The increased over decreased of improved versus local showed that sorghum wad-ahmed exceed local by 11%, millet Ashana 36%, sesame Promio 13% and groundnut Gibaish exceed local by 25%. The study recommended strengthening research extension farmers and enhancing farmers’ participatory technology development.

Shelf‐life extension of fresh mushrooms: From conventional practices to novel technologies—A comprehensive review

AbstractMushroom is an edible fungus grown worldwide because of its nutritional and commercial value. The demand for mushrooms is rising annually because of increased awareness of the dietary benefits of mushrooms. Mushrooms are a perishable commodity as they respire continuously after harvesting. Adequate packaging or processing is required to increase mushrooms' shelf life. The quality of mushrooms continues to decline after harvesting, including browning, moisture loss, texture changes, increased bacteria, and loss of flavor and nutrients. Postharvest preservation methods, including physical, chemical, and thermal treatments, are necessary to preserve postharvest quality and increase the shelf life of mushrooms. The postharvest technology of mushrooms must be improved to fulfill the increasing demand for mushrooms. There are many conventional techniques to protect the quality and increase the shelf life of mushrooms. Conventional procedures frequently result in considerable nutritional, texture, and flavor losses and shorter shelf lives. In contrast, modern technologies preserve mushrooms with increased nutritional retention, improved texture and flavor profiles, and longer shelf life. This review covers not only the conventional technologies like drying and cooling but also elaborates on the shelf‐life extension of mushrooms through novel technologies like pulse electric field, pulsed light, electrolyzed water, etc.

A comprehensive review on impact of post-harvest management and treatment practices on the quality of garlic (Allium sativum L) during storage

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) plays a crucial role in global agriculture due to its culinary and medicinal uses, but it faces significant post-harvest losses due to moisture, temperature fluctuations, and pest infestations. Proper storage and handling practices can mitigate these losses, yet conventional methods like curing, dehydration, cryopreservation, and vacuum sealing still result in 25–40 % losses during storage. This review investigates the types, factors, and causes of garlic losses, focusing on biological factors such as microbial infections pest infestations, and premature sprouting which cause decay and deformities. Physical factors such as mechanical damage, inadequate curing, temperature fluctuations, humidity, and prolonged light exposure also contribute to deterioration. This review explores practices and treatments to minimize losses, detailing their mechanisms, benefits, and commercial potential. It compares thermal and non-thermal technologies such as irradiation, ozone treatment, nanotechnologies, edible coatings, and films. Irradiation is effective against pathogens but may lead to nutrient loss, ozone treatment provides microbial control with minimal residue. Nanotechnologies, edible coatings, and films help extend shelf life by reducing microbial growth and moisture loss, with considerations for safety and consumer acceptance. The review highlights the need for innovative solutions to reduce losses and preserve the nutritional value and safety, contributing to sustainable garlic production and food security. Additionally, it evaluates the implications of these management practices for sustainability and circular economy. The findings highlight the need for further research to enhance the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability of post-harvest technologies to ensure the long-term viability and profitability of garlic production.