2023-02-20

INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SCIENCE

AND TECHNOLOGY

POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY OF

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
- An introduction -

Dr. DUONG, Thi Ngoc Diep

Postharvest practices is a set of post-

production practices that includes: cleaning,
washing, selection, grading, disinfection,
drying (or processing), packing and storage.

Postharvest (PHV) technology needs:

- Understanding of PHV physiology of FV.
- Understanding of PHV physicochemical
properties of FV.
- PHV techniques / practices
- Machines/equipments

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IMPORTANCES OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

F & V ARE INDISPENDABLE FOODS IN HUMAN DAILY DIET:

• Provide fibers, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals

(antioxidant, flavonoids, phytonutrients, flavones, isoflavones,
catechins, anthocyanidins, isothiocyanates, cartenoids, allyl
sulfides, polyphenols)

• Provide aesthetic values.

• Main income in national GDP

• Food security

• Limitations in postharvest technology.

FV PRODUCTION IN VIETNAM

90% for domestic use, 10% for export.

Exportation on: dragon fruit, products

from coconut, pomelo, longan.

Processed products: puree, concentrated,

dried, frozen.

China  Japan  The Netherlands 

Russia  America: 5 biggest markets.

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FV PRODUCTION IN VIETNAM

 Post harvest loss of 20-25%

Small-scale production

Hand-operating

Behind-time technology

 Fresh consumption

Wrong harvesting INDICATORS

Wrong LOGISTICS.

Wrong PESTICIDE APPLICATION (RESIDUES)

 GOOD PLANNINGS ARE REQUIRED ON:

 PRODUCTION

 PRESERVATION AND PROCESSING

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Comprehensive understanding of
compositions, physiological
processes, physicochemical
processes.

 Different FV needs different

handling technique

Postharvest Flow
Harvest

Handling

Packaging

Transportation

Distribution
Manufacturer
Consumer

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2. CLASSIFICATION OF FRUITS
AND VEGETABLE PRODUCES

Figure 1:
Derivation of
some fruits
from plant
tissue.
(Coombe,
BG. The
development
of fleshy
fruits. Annu.
Rev. Plant
Physiology.1
976. 27: 507-
528. With
permission)

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Figure 2:
Derivation
of some
vegetables
from plant
tissue

A. VEGETABLES - Classification

 Divided into 3 classes:

1) Fruit vegetables

2) Underground vegetables

3) Leafy vegetables

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+ Fruit vegetables include tomato, cucumber, eggplant,

chayote, gourd, pumpkin, melon ...

+ Underground vegetables including beets, carrots,

potatoes, kohlrabi ...

+ Leafy vegetables: cabbages, mustard greens...

+ Floral vegetables: cauliflower, broccoli ...

+ Legume vegetables: beans, peas ...

Fruit vegetables

 Legumes E.g. peas, long bean

 Cereals E.g. corn

 Climbers E.g. cucumber, angled loofah

(petola)

 Berries E.g. tomato, egg plant

 Others E.g. avocado, breadfruit, jackfruit

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Underground vegetables

Modified root e.g. carrot, sweet

potato

Modified stem e.g. potato, taro

Modified bud e.g. onion, garlic

Leafy vegetables

Leaf e.g. cabbage, spinach, lettuce

Petiole e.g. celery

Flower bud e.g. cauliflower

Shoot e.g. asparagus, bamboo shoot

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B. FRUITS - Classification
Depending on botanical characteristics:

 + Citrus: oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons…

 + Stone fruits: plums, apricots, peaches…

 + Berries: strawberries, grapes …

 + Others: pear, apple, jackfruit, papaya

Depending on climatic characteristics:

 Tropical fruits: mango, papaya, pineapple, guava

 Subtropical fruits: oranges, tangerines, lemons,

grapefruit, persimmon.

 Temperate fruits: pears, peaches, apricots, plums,

apples.

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Depending on ripening characteristics:

 Climacteric fruits (clear change in color, texture and
flavor during ripening): mango, papaya, persimmon,
durian, tomato, apple

 Non-climacteric fruits (none of clear change in color,

texture and flavor during ripening): citrus, grape,
pineapple, strawberry…

a) Banana
There are 3 main groups, including Cavendish banana
subgroup “chuối già” (chuối tiêu), “chuối sứ”, and “chuối
bom”. In addition, there are also “chuối cau”, “chuối
xiêm”.

 + “Chuối tiêu” (chuối già): “chuối già cui” and “chuối

già hương” are popular.

 + “Chuối sứ”: better quality in dry season

 + “Chuối bom”: small, sour, yellow banana when ripe,

suitable for processing.

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a) Banana

a) Banana

High carbohydrate, mainly reducing sugars;

Many vitamin B6, B12.

High content of potassium, magnesium.

Amino acid compositions in banana are balanced.

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b) Pineapple

There are 3 varieties:

Queen Pineapple: small fruits, protruding eyes, dark

yellow flesh, sweet and sour taste, aromatic. Being
suitable for fresh eating.

Cayenne Pineapple : large size (2-3kg / fruit), flat and

shallow eyes, yellow flesh, more water, less sweet and
less aromatic than the Queen pineapple, being suitable
for processing.

Spanish Pineapple : yellow flesh, sour, poor aroma.

b) Pineapple

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b) Pineapple

Containing citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid.

Containing a large amount of bromeline enzyme,

featuring strong protein hydrolysis.

Containing high vitamin C, A, vitamin group B...

Processed products from pineapple include soft drinks,

wine, jam, syrup, canned pineapple, frozen pineapple ....

c) Mango

 Sweet mango: Hoa Loc mango, Chu mango… Hoa Loc is the most
delicious, large size (300-600gr / fruit), thin skin, sweet flesh,
delicious, but difficult to preserve, transport and processing.

 Kuwini Mango “xoài thơm” : medium size, very aromatic when

ripe, green yellow peel, light yellow flesh.

 “Mủ” mango: small fruits, latex with pungent smell, grown in Cam
Ranh, Khanh Hoa.

 Ghep mango: sour, suitable for processing.

 “Tuong” mango: large fruit, used raw

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c) Mango

Mangoes

Ghep mango

Canh Nong mango Cat Chu mango

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d) Citrus

Mandarin in southern Vietnam is still in low quality,

normally seedy, thick peel, not suitable for processing.

 Pomelo: includes varieties such as Nam Roi, Tan Trieu

(Bien Hoa), and Da Xanh which are succulent, light sweet
taste, and less seedy characteristics.

e) Papaya

There are many varieties of papaya, from yellow to red

flesh, round to long fruit shape, can be consumed as
vegetable when green or as fruit when ripe.

Papaya contains a lot of β-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B

... There is a large amount of papain (a strong protein
hydrolysis enzyme) in papaya.

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f) Dragon fruit

Dragon fruits are grown in Binh Thuan and the South

West, with beautiful shape, containing many vitamins,
minerals; as the main exported fruit of Vietnam.

Hylocereus undatus: white flesh

Hylocereus polyrhizus: red flesh

 There are also the availabilities of rambutan, longan,

lychee, durian, mangosteen ...

3. POSTHARVEST PHYSIOLOGY
OF POSTHARVEST FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES

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Agricultural products still maintain post-harvest life –

wilting quickly and reducing nutrients

Fruits and vegetables shelf-life can be divided into

three main stages:

 Growing stage

 Maturity stage

 Senescence stage

Growing stage: growing in size

Maturity stage: occurs before products stop

growing

Senescence stage: defined as the stage at

which the assimilation process (synthesis)
finished and give way to the catabolism process
(decomposition).

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3.1 Respiration
As the converting process of starch, glucid, lipids,
proteins, organic acids ....to CO2, water, essential
organic compounds, and energy.

Energy produced for body temperature, metabolic

reactions, transporting of metabolites, maintaining
permeability of the cell membrane.

This process continues until the reserves run out.

Aerobic respiration

Substrates are glucose, O2, organic acids,

proteins, lipids.

The final products of the process are CO2,

H2O and energy.

C6H12O6 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O + 686Kcal

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Anaerobic respiration

Final products of the process are CO2,

ethanol, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, lactic
acid…  losing product flavour and taste

C6H12O6  2 CO2 + 2 C2H5OH + 28 Kcal

FRUIT classification according to respiration

behavior
 Classificationof fruits depends on the respiratory behavior
coincident with ripening :
i) Climacteric fruits
- undergo a sudden increase in respiration (respiratory
climacteric) coincident with ripening e.g.: apple, avocado,
banana, mango, papaya, tomato, water melon, pear, persimmon,
plum, muskmelon, passion fruit…
ii) Non-climacteric fruits:
- no sudden increase in respiration: pineapple, strawberry,
grape…

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3.2 Ripening - changes may occur

- Seed maturation

- Color changes of peel from green to yellow, orange,

red.

- Fruit is very easy to fall out due to the formation of

abscission and the presence of abscisic acid.

- Increasing respiratory rate

- Increasing ethylene production

Ripening - changes may occur

Fruit is softer due to the transformation of protopectin
to pectin

The change of carbohydrates: starch  sugar

The formation of specific organic acids of fruit

The formation of volatiles

Changes in protein composition.

The presence of wax on the fruit skin

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3.3 Evaporation/transpiration/water loss

Difference in water vapor pressure of the product surface

(Ph) and partial pressure of water vapor in the
surrounding air (Pk)  d = Ph - Pk.

"d" value is affected by environmental temperature and

humidity, movement speed and pressure of the air.

Products are wilted and reduced tolerance under water

loss.

Weight loss of fruits and vegetables:

75% - 85% due to water, 15% - 25% due to dry matter.

Evaporation/transpiration mechanism

Evaporation/transpiration is the process that the

free water in vegetables diffuses, evaporates to
the outside environment.

Evaporation rate depends on: internal factors

(level of hydrophilic of colloidal systems in cell;
composition, structure and state of protected
tissue, respiratory rate of agricultural ...);
external factors (temperature, humidity ...)

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4. POSTHARVEST LOSSES
OF FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES

Damage of postharvest fruits and

vegetables is a phenomenon that
products are reduced markedly their
aesthetic, sensory, and nutrition
qualities, no longer using value even.

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The main reasons cause post-

harvest losses

1. Biology and organisms:

- Insects, pests, fungi, bacteria.

2. Biochemical and chemical:

- Infection of pesticides, chemicals.

- Browning phenomenon.

- Toxins: due to disease or applied chemicals.

3.Mechanical:

- Damages: due to insects, picking (cutting)

activity.

- Contusion, bruising, scratching.

4. Physical:

- Temperature: too hot or too cold.

- The amount of water: dehydration/soaking.

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5. Biological:

- Germination, budding.

- Rooting

- Senescence.

- Quality changes due to respiration,

transpiration.

00C

00C

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0; 5; 10; 15 (0C)

00C

5. PROCESSING OF FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES

- An introduction-

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1. Why fruit and vegetable processing?

- All fruits & vegetables lose their quality at
some rate after harvesting

The principal quality loss reactions are:

- microbiological
- chemical
- enzymic
- physical

Processing of fruits and vegetables

is for:

1. Preservation: by slowing down the natural

processes of decay caused by microorganisms,
enzymes and other factors such as heat,
moisture and sunlight.

2. Food diversification: attractive and in demand

by consumers.

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2. Major fruit and vegetable processing techniques

Objective Factor Mode of achievement

Slowing down or Reduced water Drying and freeze-drying
inhibition of activity/raised Curing and salting
microbial growth osmoability Conserving with added sugars
Decreased oxygen Vacuum and nitrogen packaging
Acidification Addition of acids
Lactic or acetic fermentation
Alcoholic fermentation Brewing, vinification
Use of preservatives Addition of preservatives:
- Sulphite, nitrite
- Sorbate, benzoate …
- Antibiotics

Major fruit and vegetable processing techniques (cont.)

Objective Factor Mode of
achievement
Inactivation of Heating Pasteurization
microorganisms Sterilization

Ionizing irradiation Irradiation

Restriction of access Decontamination Treatment of

of microorgnism to packaging materials
foods heat, irradiation)
Aseptic thermal
Aseptic processing processing and
packaging withour
recontamination

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