Handling Florida Vegetables - Tomato

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Handling Florida Vegetables - Tomato

Steve Sargent
2

Florida produces about 40% of the commercially grown fresh tomatoes in the U.S.; California produces about 27% of the U.S. supply and 24% is imported mainly from Mexico. Our major production season extends from late October through June. Of the total farm value of vegetables produced in Florida, tomatoes account for about 40% or $5.4 million. Florida also produces cherry and plum type tomatoes and their handling practices are generally the same as for regular tomatoes. Most Florida tomatoes are harvested at the mature-green stage (full-sized but before they start to change color). After packing, these tomatoes are placed in specially constructed rooms for ripening initiation. Edible quality of tomatoes harvested mature-green is excellent if they are properly handled. The technology for production and handling tomatoes intended for distant markets does not differ from those techniques required for handling when this vegetable is intended for home use or will be distributed through local markets. There are exceptions for commercial growers in regulated production areas as to size and grade, imposed when a Marketing Order is in effect.

OBTAINING QUALITY
Cultivar Selection - One of the most important management decisions a grower can make is cultivar selection. While there are many cultivars available to select from, only the most suitable cultivar(s) will have market acceptability and be sufficiently productive during periods of stress (environment, insects and diseases). A suitable cultivar should have characteristics of economic yield, resistance to disease, horticultural quality, adaptability to our diverse environments and be market acceptable. Recommended tomato cultivars for Florida are listed in Reference No. 6. Cultural Practices - To produce tomatoes of high quality, optimum growth rate of the plant is required. Adequate water, fertilizer, and pest & weed control will provide for optimum growth rate. Fertilizer requirements for tomatoes are contained in Reference No. 5. A regular supply of moisture, and control of insect pests & diseases are essential for production of high quality tomatoes with uniform size/shape. Tomatoes grown on sandy soils are highly susceptible to

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sand scarring and therefore, suitable windbreaks should be provided; staking and plastic mulch substantially reduce the risk of sand scarring. Harvesting - A typical mature-green tomato will have jellylike matrix in all locules and the seeds are sufficiently developed so they will not be cut by a sharp knife when the fruit is sliced. External indicators of fruit maturity are position on the plant, size, shape, surface (waxy gloss or sheen) and sometimes the presence of brown corky tissue on the stem scar. Florida growers use a combination of these factors to determine when tomatoes are ready to be harvested. Growers should delay harvest until a small percentage of fruits start to show color in the field. This practice helps to insure that green fruits are fully mature. Fresh market tomatoes are harvested by hand in Florida. Harvested fruits are placed in plastic buckets which are emptied into pallet bins or gondolas. Pallet bins hold between 800 to 1200 pounds of fruit and gondolas hold between 8 to 12 tons of fruit. The transport containers are positioned in the field so that pickers walk a minimum distance. Used to a lesser extent is a conveyor-type harvest aid which spans about 12 rows of tomatoes and travels along with the pickers; harvested fruits are conveyed and elevated to gondolas traveling in unison with the conveyor system. Field trucks with filled pallet bins or gondolas transport the tomatoes to the packinghouse. Prior to unloading from the transport container, fruits should be kept in the shade to minimize heating; tomatoes held in the sun for an hour on a hot, sunny day can be 25F hotter than fruit held in the shade. Tomatoes transported in pallet bins are mechanically dumped, while those in gondolas are flumed into a dump tank containing heated, chlorinated water. The dump water should be heated above the fruit pulp temperature to prevent infiltration of water and pathogenic microorganisms into the fruit through the stem scar. From the dump tank, fruits are elevated, rinsed and dried, sized, sorted/graded, and waxed before being jumble-packed into fiberboard cartons. During all operations, from harvesting through packing, tomatoes should be handled carefully to avoid bruising, cuts and punctures. Bruises can affect ripening and cuts or punctures predispose the fruit to invasion of decay-causing organisms.

Maintaining Quality
Grade and Size - Tomatoes in Florida are graded U.S. No. 1, 85% U.S. No. 1, U.S. Combination, U.S. No. 2 and U.S. No. 3, as modified by the Florida Tomato Committee under authority of the Federal Marketing Order. (Reference No. 1). Tomatoes are sized by passing over a series of perforated belts with holes corresponding to the maximum allowable diameter for the particular size/class. Larger fruit are carried over to subsequent belts for sizing. The size designations, established by the Florida Tomato Committee, differ very slightly from those specified in the U.S. Grade Standards. Currently, the U.S. tomato industry is attempting to revise the size classifications contained in the Standard. Although the current USDA size designations are "small", "medium", "large", etc., Florida continues to use the numeric designations of 7X7, 6X7, 6X6, and 5X6 & larger. The Florida specific size limitations for these numeric designations are in Table 1. Thus, Florida allows an overlap between size classifications of 2\32 inch. The 7X7 size is no longer permitted for those packing operations in the areas regulated by the Florida Tomato Committee.

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Handling Florida Vegetables - Tomato

Pack - Sized and graded mature-green fruits are jumble-packed into fiberboard containers to a net weight of 25 pounds, or into a smaller carton for colored fruit. Filled containers are automatically lidded and stamped with size and grower designation. Packed containers are unitized on a standard pallet with a few drops of glue on each lid to stabilize the stacked containers. Each pallet contains about 80 cartons of tomatoes (10 per layer X 8 layers). Tomatoes are subsequently handled and shipped as a unitized load. Ripening Initiation - Ethylene, a natural ripening hormone which is normally produced by the tomato, is used to promote faster and more uniform ripening of mature-green tomatoes. All major tomato packers are equipped with adequate facilities for ripening initiation with ethylene gas. Most of the ripening rooms have a capacity of 40 to 100 pallets, stacked 2-high; larger packers may have 50 or more such rooms. These rooms have precise atmospheric controls to maintain optimum ripening initiation conditions (68 - 72F, 85 - 95% RH, 150 ppm ethylene, and air exchange to prevent accumulation of carbon dioxide from respiring tomatoes from building up to ripening inhibitory levels). Details of the ripening initiation systems are contained in References No. 2 and 8.

Temperature Requirements
The tomato is a tropical fruit and is adversely affected by exposure to low temperature. Unripe tomatoes are susceptible to chilling injury at temperatures below 50F; ripe tomatoes are less susceptible to chilling injury. Symptoms of chilling injury are water-soaked spots, pitting, or tissue collapse. Low temperature exposure also adversely affects the development of flavor and color during ripening. Optimum ripening and holding conditions for tomatoes are 68 - 72 F, and high relative humidity; above 85F, tomatoes develop more orange than red pigment and fruits will be more soft. Shelf life can be extended and quality retained if tomatoes are ripened under the optimum conditions and then held at a reduced temperature of 55F. Storage at temperatures below 50F, both in the market place and in the home is a major contributor to poor tomato quality. Tomatoes are susceptible to water loss, mainly through the stem scar. Shriveling symptoms may become evident with as little as 3% weight loss; storage in a high relative humidity (8595%) will minimize the weight loss. Tomatoes can be waxed, but only a thin coating should be applied. Waxing provides some surface lubrication which reduces chafing in transit. Care should be taken to prevent heavy waxing of the stem scar because ripening will be adversely affected. Mixed Load/Storage Compatability - Tomatoes have a similar storage requirement as eggplant, early potatoes, winter squash, and muskmelons (other than cantaloupes). Ice should never be placed in contact with these commodities. Therefore, these products can be transported and stored together without deleterious effects. Since tomatoes produce ethylene, they should not be transported or stored with ethylene-sensitive commodities. Postharvest/Decay Disorders - Tomatoes are subject to several market diseases. Proper handling, grading and temperature management will minimize occurrence of these diseases. Listed below are some that may occur.
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a) alternaria rot - This disease may follow blossom-end rot, injuries, chilling, and other decays. Large greenish-brown to brown lesions covered with grayish-brown mold

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Handling Florida Vegetables - Tomato

are produced. The larger lesions may show alternating light- and dark-brown concentric zones. b) bacterial soft rot - Decay may occur at injuries anywhere over the surface of the fruit. The causal organism can also be taken up through the stem scar of tomatoes in unheated dump tanks. Bacterial soft rot is easily recognized by the soft, mushy consistency of the affected tissues which generally is associated with a bad odor. c) bacterial spot - Spots are small, brown to black, scab-like lesions that constitute blemishes of serious consequence only when they are present in large numbers on the fruit. Tomato cultivars show variation in susceptibility. Care should be exercised to grade out all tomatoes showing spots that would reduce their marketability. d) blossom-end rot - This disorder frequently occurs under conditions of calcium deficiency. It disfigures the fruit and opens the way for secondary bacterial and fungal invaders that cause extensive decay. A small, water-soaked spot on the lower half of the fruit near the blossom end is the first symptom of this disease. As the spot enlarges it becomes light brown to brownish black and dry, so that the affected tissues are more or less leathery in texture. e) sour or watery rot - On green fruits, watery rot lesions have a dull, greasy, watersoaked to bleached appearance. Although the decay may originate at cracks, cuts, or skin punctures, it frequently is found starting at the edge of the stem scar. The affected tissues remain fairly firm until the decay is quite advanced and have a picked appearance and a definite sour odor. Bacterial soft rot often follows watery rot. f) rhizopus rot - This disease is distinguished from bacterial soft rot and gray mold rot by the presence of coarse mold that can be seen by gently pulling apart the diseased tissue. Under humid conditions the mold may grow out over the lesions. g) virus mottling - Stunting, distortion, yellow and green mottling, and definite rings or loops on the fruit are the usual characteristics of this disease. h) irregular ripening - This disorder differs from blotchy ripening. Irregular areas on the fruit fail to ripen and generally the affected tissue appears to be more leathery or tough. The causal agent is unknown but conjecture is that the disorder is caused by a type of virus with the sweet potato whitefly as the normal vector.

Nutritional Value - Tomatoes rank first in the "relative contribution to human nutrition" when compared to 39 major fruits and vegetables. One medium sized tomato provides 40% of the RDA of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), 20% of the RDA of vitamin A, substantial amounts of potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, and lesser amounts of iron, magnesium, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, yet it contains only about 35 calories. Based on nutrient content and the quantity of tomatoes consumed, they are major contributors to our health. Additional information about tomato is contained in the following references: 1. Anonymous. 1976. United States Standards for Grades of Tomatoes. USDA, AMS, Washington, D.C. 20402. 2. Gull, D. D. 1981. Ripening tomatoes with ethylene. Vegetable Crops Fact Sheet, VC29, Univ of. Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. 3. Hardenberg, R.E., A. E. Watada, and C.Y. Wang. 1986. The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stock. USDA, ARS, Agricultural Hdbk. 66. Washington, D.C. 20402 4. Hochmuth, G.J. (Ed), 1988. Tomato Production Guide for Florida. Univ. of Florida, IFAS, Cir. 98 C, Gainesville, FL 32611. 5. Hochmuth, G.J. and E.A. Hanlon. 1989. Commercial Vegetable Crops Nutrient

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Handling Florida Vegetables - Tomato

6. 7.

8.

9.

Requirements, Florida Cooperative Ext. Svc., Univ. of Florida, IFAS, Cir 806, Gainesville, FL 32611. Maynard, D.N. 1987. Commercial Vegetable Cultivars for Florida. Univ. of FL Coop. Ext. Svc., IFAS, Cir 530, Gainesville, FL 32611. Maynard, D. N. and D.J.Cantliffe. 1989. Squash, silverleaf and tomato irregular ripening: new vegetable disorders in Florida. Vegetable Crops Fact Sheet, VC- 37, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611. Sherman, M. and D. D. Gull. 1981. A flow-through system for introducing ethylene in tomato ripening rooms. Vegetable Crops Fact Sheet, VC-30, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. Sherman, M., R.K. Showalter, J.R. Bartz and G.W. Simone.1981.Tomato packinghouse dump tank sanitation. Vegetable Crops Fact Sheet, VC-31, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611

Tables
Table 1. Table 1. Florida specific size limitations for tomatoes. Classification Minimum (in) 7X7 6X7 6X6 5X6 & larger 2 5\32 2 8\32 2 16\32 2 24\32 Maximum (in) 2 10\32 2 18\32 2 26\32

Footnotes
1. This document is SS-VEC-928, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Date reviewed: November 1998. Please visit the FAIRS Web site at http://hammock.ifas.ufl.edu. 2. Steve Sargent, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

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Handling Florida Vegetables - Tomato

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.

Copyright Information
This document is copyrighted by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for the people of the State of Florida. UF/IFAS retains all rights under all conventions, but permits free reproduction by all agents and offices of the Cooperative Extension Service and the people of the State of Florida. Permission is granted to others to use these materials in part or in full for educational purposes, provided that full credit is given to the UF/IFAS, citing the publication, its source, and date of publication.

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