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What is the Post Harvest Technology
What is post-harvest technology?
postharvest technology involved in harvesting, handling, storing, moving the product to reduce losses and to keep them fresh to market.
It is very important to maintain freshness or minimize the deterioration of crop products, marketing and the time consumed.
Increased production of vegetables and fruits not ensure sufficient supply of good quality product for consumers to eat and the producer to sell, due to post harvest losses.
The percentage losses in the production of vegetables is 28-42% of annual production (with the condition of the Philippines) because of the lack of post-harvest facilities and technology.
This is because the Philippines continues to lag behind in post-harvest technology compared to developed countries.
Causes of post-harvest losses
1) Technology – The post-harvest losses covers the following reasons …
- Decay or rotten – Vegetable or putrefaction perishable if not handled properly, especially the leafy green. Last Fruits a bit more, but also spoil easily.
- Yellow – Yellow is mainly to leaf vegetables. For fruits yellow, is a sign of maturation and subsequent decay.
- Fading – This is common in green leafy vegetables.
- Softening – Softening is common especially fruit and some green leafy crops.
- Outbreak – Some root vegetables when stored and tends to grow ( example, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, etc)
2) Non-technological - post-harvest losses especially occurs when there is a lack in transport and storage facilities causing the delay of harvest.
The loss includes non-technological the following factors …
- Transport – Lack of transportation is a factor causing post-harvest losses. Before venturing into the production vegetables should provide this important team in their list of priorities.
- Storage – Storage facilities plays a role vital for success in the endeavor of vegetables. If transportation is vital, storage area is also important. In fact, if I decide, I would put this factor as my number one priority.
- adverse weather – changeable weather condition greatly affects its plan crops. Study of the condition in your area, particular crops or crops that grows best at a particular weather condition.
- The lack of efficient distribution – If your channel is inefficient crop damage will be severe. Therefore, make viable strategy for your product buyers could cool.
- The lack of market demand – Consider surveying the market if the cultivation of plants you need or demand. This is one factor causing crop losses, because nobody buys your product.
3) physiological damage – Crop damage must be due to changes in texture, flavor and aroma.
4) Mechanical damage – crop losses due and neglected to collect raw, packing, loading or unloading. The damage may be in the form of cuts, punctures, cracks, separations, changes in forms and form or partially or completely separation of the outer cover.
5) insect damage – Damage caused by insects occurs in the storage or directly in the field before harvest. You must immediately control insects found in the field before harvest or in storage area. Your store should be disinfected before placing their products harvested.
Basis of Postharvest Technology
1) Vegetables are perishable in nature – Although they are harvested and not on the ground and who are still living. Still subject to all biological processes associated with life.
When harvesting, use of energy through breathing and food production through photosynthesis process is short and there is no replacement for loss reserves.
The faster you breathe, the quicker it will rot. High stored food rot delay.
The vegetables contain 80-95 of water. This is lost to the atmosphere through transpiration, especially during dry and hot.
2) Differences in morphology, Structure and chemical composition
The changes depend on which parts of the plant morphology is …
- Leafy vegetables – The leaves wilt and turn yellow.
- Fruit Vegetable – Madura eventually become more mature.
- Flower vegetables – flowers open.
- Modified mother – Produce buds and new growth.
Changes in the structural differences of each of the parties morphological …
- Vegetables wing – have larger and more stomata in upper and lower surfaces therefore have faster breathing and sweating.
- Fruits, roots, tubers and bulbs – Have reservations surfaces and few or no stomata, but have few lenticels.
3) Response of vegetables Environment – Respiration and transpiration of plants changes in line with the environment …
- Temperature – environmental factors important influence on the rate of deterioration of plants. Decreased temperature decreases respiration, transpirations, microbial activities and growth insects.
- Relative humidity – The proportion or content of water vapor in the air.
- The gases in the atmosphere – Ideal air content is 78% Nitrogen, Oxygen 21%, and 0.03% carbon dioxide.
- Microorganisms and insects – Vegetables serves as food for microorganisms and insects. The further keep vegetables from them, the longer we can keep the vegetables.
How to reduce losses of vegetables
1) Start with good quality seeds and planting materials – You will have to look at the characteristics of its population in relation to their size, shape, color, texture, weight and nutrient content.
- Influence of Environmental Condition – The quality of vegetables or after harvest is affected by temperature, light, rain and other environmental factors.
- Effects of Cultural Management – You Should start your preparation right field. This includes soil preparation, along with water management, weeding, fertilization, pest and disease control. If you neglect these cultural practices of management, product quality will be greatly affected.
2) Avoid physical damage – physical damage during the harvest starts to sorting, cleaning, transportation from the field to the storage area and to market.
Strictly follow the correct method for handling your product to avoid physical damage to bass level.
3) Environmental Control Factors – Using low temperature (refrigerator) during transportation or storage and application of chemicals to control postharvest decay is a strategy to prevent damage to crops.
Can implement the following strategies …
- management of temperature – the temperature is too large to extend the life of their vehicles.
The use of the refrigerator is the most effective way to lower the temperature.
A lack of refrigerated facilities, you can apply the following methods to minimize crop losses …
1) Harvest as soon or as late in the day as possible.
2) Avoid exposure of vegetables to direct sunlight at any time.
3) Make adequate ventilation during transport.
4) Use of white canvas to cover vegetables.
5) Travel as early or at night if possible.
- Relative Humidity Management – You have to increasing the relative humidity 85%.
Methods of increasing relative humidity …
1) Soak the floor of the area where vegetables are kept.
2) Insert a fine mist of water or steam into the fan.
3) In a small room to keep open containers filled with water.
4) Use the evaporative cooling system.
- Gas monitoring in the Environment – Reduction of oxygen and increased carbon dioxide makes transportation and storage at low temperatures. The use of bag polyethylene allows the accumulation of carbon dioxide and depletion of oxygen inside the bag with a few holes for ventilation. the use of ethylene should be avoided, except when the ripening of fruits is involved.
Preventing Effect of ethylene
- Ensure good ventilation to dilute the concentration of ethylene – Ventilation is vital during storage and transportation for the accumulation of ethylene can be avoided.
- Do not keep ripening fruit with fresh vegetables in the same room – Separate fruits from green leafy vegetables. Ethylene is to maturation only. When combined with leafy vegetables turns a yellowish color of the leaves – no more good or the market.
- Correct handling during transport and storage should be practiced at all times – Proper handling of the media, you must apply the correct procedure for storage and transport ensure that the vegetables are safe and free from harm.
- Sort and separate the sick and wounded plant products – It is important that you must separate the sick and wounded products. Some are not ordered, the trend is the spread of diseases that affect others who are in Good Condition. Avoid storing vegetables indoors where there is smoke – You have to finish their products in enclosed areas where there is no ventilation, especially when there is smoke in the area – This will affect the quality of products.
How to reduce multiplication of microorganisms
- Do the container or vehicle, before placing clean room products – This is an environment free of reasons, it is always clean place to store anything.
- Handle carefully to avoid injury vegetables – Handle with care with care to avoid damage to crops. damaged areas are those in which bacteria or the virus enters what may cause spoilage.
- Avoid hot and humid conditions – hot and humid condition attracts deadly microorganisms, which is there place to live and multiply. You should make sure the area is dry and there is no air circulation on all sides.
- Order products and vegetables separately sick – As explained in 4, which is to separate the sick and wounded products to avoid contamination to other crops that are good.
- If the vegetables are likely to be disinfected, using alum or lime – If you are in storage or transport of its products, it is best to disinfect with lime or alum to extend its life. This is especially applicable to the leafy vegetables, where life is short.
- Cure root crops and bulbs before storage and transport of up to 20-35 ° C – Cure your products increases its life, especially when stored for a longer time or a long-distance transport.
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Cris Ramasasa, freelance writer, writes on home gardening and internet marketing tips. You may obtain a copy of his latest e-book "Getting Started in bloom Gardening "And" Vegetable Gardening Made Easy "and a lot of tips, freebies and bonds: www.crisramasasa.com
About the Author
Cris Ramasasa is a retired Horticulture teacher for 29 years and Freelance writer. Writes home gardening tips and resources. Written ebooks titled: How To Get Started In Flower Gardening and Vegetable Gardening Made Easy.
www.crisramasasa.com – Still under construction
