Introduction

Fruits and Vegetables

processing (FST-4023)
 Introduction
 Fruit and vegetables are both major food products in their
own right and key ingredients in many processed foods.

 Consumers increasingly require food products that preserve

their nutritional value, retain a natural and fresh colour,
flavour and texture, and contain fewer additives such as
preservatives.

 These requirements pose new challenges for fruit and

vegetable producers and processors.
Introduction
 There has been a wealth of recent research both on the
importance of fruit and vegetable consumption to
health and on new techniques to preserve the
nutritional and sensory qualities demanded by
consumers.

 Eating fruits and vegetables has long been associated with

health benefits, though some of the ways in which these
foods enhance health have only become clear in recent
decades.
Introduction
Fruits
Introduction to Fruits
 Fruits are botanically diverse, perishable, seasonal, and
regional commodities. They come in many forms, shapes
and sizes, colors, flavors, and textures; and are an
important part of a healthy diet.
 Some fruits have been billed as “super-fruits” because of
their unique nutritional properties and phytochemical
composition.
 Low intake of fruits and vegetables has been suggested by
the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the risk
factors for non-communicable diseases such as various
forms of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc.
Introduction to Fruits
 Besides vitamins, minerals, fibers, and other nutrients, fruits
contain phenolic compounds having pharmacological
potentials.
 Consumed as part of a regular diet these naturally occurring
plant constituents are believed to provide a wide range of
physiological benefits as
 Anti-oxidants,
 Anti-allergic,
 Anti-carcinogenic,
 Anti-inflammatory, etc.
Introduction to Fruits
 Fruitsare indispensable in human diet to supply essential
vitamins, for example, vitamin A, B6, C, E, thiamine,
niacin, minerals, and dietary fiber.

 Now a days, fruit production and processing are among

the major industries in many countries, and the trading
and distribution of fruits have become an important
international economic activity. Although world
production and consumption of fruits have increased
significantly.
Introduction to Fruits
 Botanically, a fruit is the reproductive structure of a
flowering plant in which seeds form and develop.
 In culinary arts, fruit normally refers to an edible, juicy, and
sweet entity derived from a flower on any flowering plant.
 Among so many species of flowering plants with so much
anatomical diversity, only a relatively small group of species
and fruit types are common in human diet.
 Nevertheless, the physiological and morphological
characteristics of a given fruit species or even a given
cultivar affect its postharvest life and processing quality.
FRUIT CLASSIFICATION
 Various classification systems have been applied to fruits to
meet the objectives of classification. Fruits can be
classified based on their
 Origins (Kader and Barrett 2005)
 Growth Patterns (Westwood 1995)
 Postharvest respiration rates & ethylene responses
(Leli`evre et al. 1997)
 Anatomical features (Spjut 1994)
 The consumer’s preference
Fruits Classified by Their Origin
 According to their origins and major production areas, fruits are commonly
grouped into three types:
 Temperate fruits
 Subtropical fruits
 Tropical fruits
 Most temperate fruit crops are deciduous and cultivated in regions with a period of
chilling temperature in the winter for successful growth and yield. Temperate fruits
include most common fruits from Rosaceae family and popular small fruit crops.

 Tropical and subtropical fruit crops differ from each other on the degree of
tolerance to low temperature. Subtropical fruits include most citrus crops and
some other evergreen species.

 Tropical fruits mostly originated in tropical rain forests; they do not tolerate a
temperature below 10◦C. In addition to the well-known tropical fruits, for
example, banana, mango, papaya, and pineapple etc.
Classification of Common Fruits by Their
Origins and Main Production Regions
Fruits Classified by Respiration Rates
and Ethylene Response
 Many fruits at full maturity maintain a consistent, low respiration
rate and are called non-climacteric fruits. The respiration rate of
such fruits responds primarily to temperature.
 On the other hand, fruits showing a remarkable increment in
respiration rate in maturation are called climacteric fruits.
 In addition to their distinctive respiration patterns, climacteric and
non-climacteric fruits also differ from each other in their response
to ethylene.
 When the climacteric fruit matures, a traceable amount of ethylene
is produced, which triggers more ethylene production and a series
of ethylene-related ripening and senescence processes.
 These responses can also be triggered by external application of
ethylene to a mature climacteric fruit.
Botanical Classification of Fruits
Fruits can also be categorized into different types based on their
anatomical origins. A fruit can be a simple fruit, derived from a
flower, or a compound fruit, formed by many flowers. Either
type of fruits can be further classified into subtypes.
 Simple Fruits A simple fruit is developed from a simple or
compound ovary in a flower with only one carpel. Simple
fruits can be dry or fleshy.

 Simple Dry Fruits A simple dry fruit is a fruit with dried

pericarp.
Botanical Classification of Fruits
 Simple Fleshy Fruit Simple fruits developed from a single
ovary of one flower e.g. apples, peaches and tomatoes etc

 Compound Fruits A compound fruit is a fruit derived from

multiple ovaries within a single flower or from multiple
flowers, each bearing a single ovary. The former is designated
as an aggregate fruit and the latter a multiple fruit e.g.
pineapple

 Aggregate Fruit An aggregate fruit is developed from a

single flower that has multiple pistils, each containing one
carpel. Each pistil forms a fruitlet e.g. raspberry
Multiple Fruit
A multiple fruit is derived from an inflorescence composed
of multiple flowers. The ovaries of each individual flower
are fused together to form a single fruit at maturity.
 There are different types of multiple fruits corresponding to
different origins in the development.
 Mulberry, is a multiple fruit derived from the incorporated
ovaries of the flowers.
 Pineapple and jackfruit, is composed of the ovaries, floral
parts, and receptacles of many flowers and the fleshy axis
of the inflorescence.
 A fig fruit is also a multiple fruit.
Accessory Fruit
An accessory fruit is a fruit in which the fleshy part is mainly
derived from the accessory tissues of the flower. Accessory
fruits are also called false fruits or pseudocarps.
For example,
 Strawberries are aggregate fruits while are also accessory
fruits because the fleshy part is the enlarged receptacle.
 Pome fruits with an enlarged fleshy receptacle fall in the
same category.
 A fig fruit is another type of accessory fruit of which the
enlarged hollow flesh part is the receptacle bearing multiple
ovaries on the inside surface.
Culinary Classification of Fruits
 Botanically, a fruit means the structure on a plant developed
from a flower and the accessories of this flower. In culinary
practice and food processing point of view, edible fruits are
grouped into four categories: fruits, fruits used as vegetables,
nuts, and cereals.
Fruits
 In culinary practice and food processing, fruits commonly
refer to any edible part of a plant with a sweet taste and
pleasant flavor, corresponding to most edible fleshy fruits in
the botanical sense. However, some botanical fruits may not
be palatable or sweet, for example, lemon, avocado, and
cranberry, but are still considered as fruits in cooking or
processing.
Culinary Classification of Fruits
Fruits used as Vegetables
 Many fruits that are not palatable or sweet when consumed
raw offer savory taste when cooked or processed and are
recognized as vegetables in culinary sense.
 Crops that are used as vegetables are mainly from the
tomato family, the gourd family, and the pea family.
 Some crops, for example, tomato, are mainly consumed as a
vegetable in one region while commonly consumed as a
fruit in another region.
Culinary Classification of Fruits
Nuts
 Although botanically only a few plant species in produce
true nuts, culinary nuts are a big group of dried seeds and
fruits with diverse varieties.

 Many seeds and dry fruits producing oil-rich kernels within

hardened pericarps or seed coats are all called nuts in food
and processing industries e.g. chestnuts and hazelnuts.
Culinary Classification of Fruits
Cereals
 The dry fruit produced by Gramineae, a type of dry fruit,
but in culinary definition, those fruits cultivated for their
edible parts are referred to as cereals or grains.
 A few species from other families bearing starch-rich
seeds are also included in cereals, for example,
buckwheat. Some oilseeds and oil-bearing materials are
also considered cereals.
 Some cereal crops, for example, sweet corns, are used as
vegetables when their fruits are young and tender.
INTRODUCTIO
N
VEGETABLES
Review Questions?
 Define fruits?
 Define phytochemicals?
 Essential vitamins present in fruits?
 Climacteric and non-climacteric fruits?
 Fruits used as vegetables, nuts and cereals?
 Give examples of temperate, subtropical and
tropical fruits?
 Role of vitamin A, C, E, B6, thiamine & Niacin?
 Introduction to vegetables
 Vegetables enrich and diversify the human diet. They are the
primary source of mineral nutrients, vitamins, secondary plant
metabolites, and other compounds that support human health
and nutrition.
 Vegetables, especially roots and tubers, can also possess
significant caloric value, serving as staple crops in many parts
of the world, particularly in the tropics.
 Although vegetables account for less than 1% of the world’s
plants.
 Hundreds of vegetables are grown for food in subsistence and
commercial agricultural systems worldwide.
Biology and Classification of
Vegetables
A primary reason for the diversity among vegetable crops is
the broad definition of the word “vegetable” itself.
“Any plant part consumed for food that is not a mature
fruit or seed is by definition a vegetable”
 These include petioles (e.g., celery), entire leaves (e.g.,
lettuce), immature fruits (e.g. cucumber), roots (e.g.,
carrot), and specialized structures such as bulbs (e.g.,
onion) and tubers (e.g., white potato).
Classification of Vegetables
Vegetables are referred to as the edible portions of plants, excluding
fruits and seeds, and are normally consumed as part of the main
course of a meal. The vegetables have been broadly categorized as:
(1) Leafy and leafstalk vegetables
(2) Stem vegetables
(3) Flower and immature inflorescence vegetables
(4) Fruit as vegetables
(5) Tuber vegetables
(6) Root vegetables
(7) Bulb vegetables
(8) Herbs and spices
(9) Edible fungi
(10) Fermented vegetables
Leafy and Leafstalk Vegetables
Leafy vegetables are numerous
while the number of leafstalk
vegetables is limited: the
former include
 Cabbage
 Brussels sprouts
 Lettuce
 Parsley
 Watercress
 Spinach
Leaf stalk includes
 Celery
 Rhubarb
 Stem vegetables
 Stem vegetables include
asparagus and kohlrabi.
 Among the edible tubers, or
underground stems are
potatoes.
Flowers (Immature Inflorescence)
as Vegetables

 Broccoli and cauliflower

are the two major
vegetables belonging to
this category.
Fruits as Vegetables
A variety of fruits are consumed as
vegetables:
 Avocado
 Tomato (consumed fresh or processed)
 Cucumber (consumed raw, cooked, or
pickled)
 Pepper (Bell (or sweet) pepper and
chili pepper (or
 hot chili)
 Winter gourd (winter melon, also
known as wax gourd, is a common
vegetable in Asia)
 Sweet corn
 Beans
 Peas
 Soya bean (consumed after processing.
Tuber vegetables
A number of high-starch
plant foods fall into the
category of tuber vegetables,
and examples are
 Potato
 Sweet potato
 Taro
 Yam
 Arrowroot
 Jerusalem artichoke
 Ginger roots
Root Vegetables
Root vegetables are diverse,
including such vegetables as
 Carrots
 Beetroot
 Radish
 Horseradish
 Parsnip
 Rutabaga (or Swedish
turnip)
 Turnip
 Cassava
Bulb Vegetables
 Garlic
 Onion
 Leek
 Shallot (scallion)
 Chive
 Chinese shallot
 Chinese spring onion
 Chinese chive
Edible Fungi
Edible fungi include
 Mushrooms
 Non-mushrooms (truffle
and beefsteak fungus or ox-
tongue fungus)
Fermented Vegetables
Fermented leafy vegetables
include well known
 Sauerkraut and
 Kimchi
 Pickled (fermented)
Chinese leafy vegetables
such as leaf mustard and
Chinese cabbage
Importance of post harvest
technology
  Definitionof Postharvest Technology (PHT)
 Importance and Objectives of PHT
 Causes of Post Harvest Food Losses and
 the Prevention Measures
 Post Harvest food Loss Assessment
 Pre-Harvest Factors Affecting the Post
 Harvest Life Quality Aspects
What is Post-Harvest Technology?
“Post-harvest technologies constitute an inter-disciplinary
science and techniques applied to agricultural commodities
after harvest for the purpose of preservation, conservation,
quality control/enhancement, processing, packaging,
storage, distribution, marketing, and utilization to meet the
food and nutritional requirements of consumers in relation
to their needs”
Post-harvest technology stimulates
agricultural production by:
 prevents post-harvest losses
 improves nutrition
 adds value to agricultural products
 opens new marketing opportunities
 generates new jobs
 Postharvest handling specifically involves the movement
and the operations that commodities undergo from harvest
to the time immediately before meal preparation.
 Itsmain concern is to keep commodities in an acceptable
state from harvest until it reaches the consumer since most
commodities are transported in their perishable state.

 In addition, postharvest handling aims to minimize losses

at the least possible cost. The existing postharvest
environment requires appropriate technologies to maintain
quality of commodities. Poor handling of agricultural
commodities can result in quality deterioration and
losses.
The three main objectives of applying
postharvest technology to harvested fruits and
vegetables are:
 To maintain quality (appearance, texture, flavour
and nutritive value)
 To protect food safety, and
 To reduce losses between harvest and consumption.
Why is the study of postharvest
physiology and technology so important?
 Vegetable and fruits products are usually of high value
(compared to grains) and need to be handled carefully in
order to preserve that value.
 Vegetables and fruits are living commodities and
deteriorate in quality very quickly.
  A lot of money and other resources is invested in growing
the crop. To get the best price possible for the crop, it must
be looked after appropriately until it reaches the consumer.

 Vegetables and fruits are rich source of vitamins,

minerals, plant proteins and medicinal substances -
proper care helps maintain nutritional and pharmacological
value.
Remember:

 Fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers must be in excellent

condition and have excellent quality if maximum shelf
life is desired.

 The best possible quality of any commodity exists at the

moment of harvest. From that point on, quality cannot
be improved, only maintained. Remember that shelf
life begins at harvest.
Post Harvest losses
 Globally, food losses and postharvest waste are estimated
at 30 to 40% of production.

 Losses of perishable foods such as fruits and vegetables

can be even higher during the postharvest period,
depending upon the weather, access to storage or
distance from markets.
 Utilizing improved postharvest practices often results in
reduced food losses, improved overall quality and food
safety, and higher profits for growers and marketers.
COMMON CAUSES OF
POSTHARVEST LOSSES 
 Rough handling
 Inadequate cooling and temperature maintenance
 Lack of sorting to eliminate defects before storage
 Inadequate packaging materials further add to the
problem
In general, minimizing rough handling, sorting to remove
damaged and diseased produce and effective temperature
management will help considerably toward maintaining a
quality product and reducing storage losses
 EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON
POSTHARVEST
 Storage life will be
enhanced if the temperature
during the postharvest
period is kept as close to the
optimum as feasible for a
given commodity.
 The ideal temperature often
depends on the geographic
origin of the product.
 EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON
POSTHARVEST
 Tropical plants have evolved in warmer climates and
therefore cannot tolerate low temperatures during storage.
 Plants from tropical origins must be stored above 12°C.
This is in contrast to plants which have evolved in
temperate, cooler climates which can be stored at 0°C.
 EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON
POSTHARVEST
 The rapid cooling after harvest is so important.
 If the temperature is lowered and the harvested products
are put in refrigerated storage, water and quality loss can
be reduced.

 Fresh produce is alive, living and breathing. The general

term for all the processes going on inside a living organism
is called metabolism.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON
POSTHARVEST
 Temperature has a big effect on the rate of metabolism of
the product. When the temperature of the product rises, so
too does the rate of metabolism.

 One of the main processes of metabolism is respiration

(which is the process of Temperature management for
fresh produce) is the key to quality.
 Lowering the temperature as quickly as possible after
harvest will slow the rate of metabolism and therefore
extend the product’s shelf life.
 EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON
POSTHARVEST
 High temperatures accelerate
ripening and the speed at which rots
develop.
 A 10 C increase in temperature will
cause fruit and vegetables to
deteriorate twice as fast, as well as
encouraging disease organisms to
grow twice as fast as well.