Chapter 3: Postharvest Handling of Fruits and Vegetables

Learning outcomes
• At the end of this chapter students will be able to:
- Explain the importance of pre-cooling and storage
of fruits and vegetables.
- Describe the methods of pre-cooling and storage of
fruits and vegetables.
- Select appropriate pre-cooling and storage
mechanisms for fruits and vegetables.
3.1. Pre-cooling of fruits and vegetables

• Pre-cooling is the cooling of commodity immediately after

harvest to its safe storage temperature.
• It aims to remove field heat that comes from the
surrounding air (sun) or from the metabolic heat
(respiration).
• Pre-cooling reduces the rate of respiration and moisture
loss, ethylene production and growth of spoilage
microorganisms.
Cont…

• The choice and rate of pre-cooling depends on:

- Air temperature during harvesting
- Time between harvest and pre-cooling
- Nature of the produce
- Difference in temperature between the produce and
cooling medium
- Velocity of the cooling medium
- Rate of transfer of heat from the produce to the
cooling medium
- Type of packaging material
- Economics of the mechanism of cooling
3.2. Mechanism of pre-cooling

• There are a variety of precooling techniques available for

use in the fruit and vegetable industry.
• These include:
- Room cooling
- Top icing
- Hydro-cooling
- Forced air cooling
- Vacuum cooling
- Cryogenic cooling
- Evaporative cooling
3.2.1. Room cooling

• Produce is placed in an insulated room equipped with

refrigeration units.
• This method can be used with most commodities (potato,
onion, apple and citrus), but is slow compared with other
options.
• Advantages
- Produce can be stored in the same room (reduce
handling costs)
- No extra cost for pre-cooling equipment
- Suits for crops, which are marketed soon after
harvest
Cont…

• Disadvantages
- Slow and variable cooling
- Large space requirements
- Not suitable for packed produce
- Excessive moisture loss
Cont…
3.2.2. Top icing

• Icing is particularly effective on dense products and

palletized packages that are difficult to cool with forced air.
• Crushed ice is added to the container over the top of the
produce by hand or machine.
• Icing methods work well with high-respiration commodities
such as sweet corn and broccoli.
• Advantages
- No dehydration during cooling
- Maintain low product temperature during transit
Cont…

• Disadvantages
- Uneven cooling
- High cost (large amount of ice required)
- Requires waterproof containers
- Chilling injury
Cont…

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3.2.3. Hydro-cooling

• Hydro-cooling can be achieved by spraying or by

immersing produce into cold water or by running
cold/chilled water over produce.
• Hydro-cooling is suitable for products that tolerate being
wetted and produce for which washing is required.
• The water used for hydro-cooling needs to be disinfected to
avoid spoilage (especially when being recirculated).
• Advantages
- Rapid cooling (20-30 min)
- No dehydration of the produce
- Uses less energy (compared to forced air cooling)
Cont…

• Disadvantages
- Decay (if water is recirculated without disinfection)
- Exceptionally less energy efficient
- Removal of wax layer (if spray type used—pear,
plum and apple)

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Cont…

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3.2.4. Forced air cooling

• Fans are used in conjunction with a cooling room to pull

cool air through packages of produce.
• It is a modification of room cooling (fans + thermostat).
• Forced air cooling requires a definite stacking patterns and
containers with vent holes.
• The efficiency of forced air cooling depends on the air
temperature, the rate of airflow and amount of the produce.
Cont…

• Advantages
- Rapid cooling (4-10 faster than room cooling)
- Uniform cooling
- Simple and inexpensive
- Suitable for wide range of highly perishable
produce (grapes, berries, pears, peach, oranges,
strawberries and tomato)
• Disadvantages
- Costly (if very rapid cooling is required)
- Requires skilled operators
Cont…
3.2.5. Vacuum cooling

• Produce is enclosed in a chamber in which a vacuum is

created.
• As the vacuum pressure increases, water within the plant
evaporates and removes heat from the tissues.
• This system works best for leafy crops, such as lettuce,
which have a high surface-to-volume ratio.
• To reduce water loss, water is sometimes sprayed on the
produce prior to placing it in the chamber (called hydrovac
cooling).
Cont…

• Advantages
- Very rapid
- Uniform cooling
- Most energy efficient method
• Disadvantages
- High capital cost
- Weight loss (if not hydro-vac cooling)
Cont…
3.3. Storage of fruits and vegetables

• Many fruits and vegetables are seasonal in nature and have

a relatively short harvesting season.
• Storage is very important in keeping them in good
condition until they are processed.
• Storage of fresh produce is done to maintain freshness and
quality, reduce the spoilage and extend their usefulness.
• Proper storage reduces the rate of physiological processes
like respiration, transpiration, ripening and other
biochemical changes.

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Cont…

• Storage life of fresh fruits and vegetables is affected by

many factors like:
- Pre harvest factors
- Maturity at harvest
- Harvesting and handling practices
- Pre-storage treatments
- Temperature and humidity in storage room
- Overall hygiene
Cont…

• Modern storage techniques include:

- Cold storage
- Controlled atmosphere storage (CA)
- Modified atmosphere storage (MA)
• Which method is chosen depends upon the economy, type
of produce, the quality desired and the facilities available
for storage.

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