ASCOT Library Zabali Campus

1. A n overview of postharvest handling --
Difference between postproduction and postharvest handling •Relationship of the fields of study under postproduction• Extent of postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables •Importance of proper postharvest handling •Advantages of proper postharvest handling over increased production in solving food needs •Evidences of the importance of postharvest handling •Status and opportunities for applying knowledge in postharvest --
2 Biological aspects of postharvest handling --
Characteristics of perishable crops affecting their postharvest life •Morpho-anatomical basis of postharvest handling technologies •Chemical basis of postharvest handling technologies •Physiological basis of postharvest handling technology --
3 Harvesting --
Concept of maturity; Importance of harvesting at proper stage of maturity •Maturity indices •Considerations in harvesting •Mechanical methods of harvesting •Preharvest modifiers of quality --
4 General packinghouse operations --
Places where preparatory steps are done •Purposes of a packinghouse •Features of a packinghouse •Measures to improve small packinghouses •Packinghouse operations for some commodities --
5 Trimming, cleaning and water elimination --
Trimming - terms, parts trimmed, trimming in big enterprises •Cleaning purposes, methods, factors determining whether to wash or not • Problems in washing and solutions •Water elimination - importance, methods
6 Curing --
Crops which are cured. •The steps involved. Importance of curing • Factors affecting the curing process •Adjustment to be made •Indications of curing for bulb crops --
7 Waxing --
Benefits from waxing Commodities waxed Waxes used •Considerations in waxing for maximum efficiency Methods of waxing •Applicability of waxing in developing countries --
8 Grading --
The processes involved Standardization •Basic parts of a standard, characteristics of a good national standard in developing countries, steps in standardization •Grading advantages, current situation, conditions for successful implementation of grading, how to grade, where to grade, grading equipment and aids •Inspection number of samples to draw, how to inspect
9 Packaging and produce handling during transport --
Functions of packaging •Types of damage on injury increased •Sources of damage •Kinds of field and shipping packages •Choosing a package •Labelling •Techniques in manual packing Improving package performance during trips •Prepackaging •Loose packing or bulk transport Bulk packing or bulk handling transport •Guidelines in loading and unloading •Reducing damage during
10 Ripening, degreening and color adding --
Classes of fruits •Advantages of accelerated ripening •Justification for degreening •General techniques in degreening and in accelerated ripening •Difference between techniques involved in ripening and degreening •Requirements for ripening •Treatments with ethylene and acetylene •Treatment with calcium carbide •Bioethylene •Use of stress ethylene •Use of increased temperature to accelerate ripening •Slowing down ripening •Color adding-commodities, equipment conditions for successful treatment •Tinting of cutflowers --
11 Precooling --
Some facts about heat and energy •Benefits from precooling Methods •Utilizing an ordinary cold room as a precooler •Advantages/disadvantages of the precooling methods •Commodities that can be cooled by the various methods •Determining the rate of cooling •Applicability of precooling in developing countries •Present status of precooling --
12 Refrigerated storage and transport --
Objectives •Structural requirements to achieve objectives •Determining whether to refrigerate or not •Use of refrigeration in ASEAN •Operation of a vapor compression refrigerating system •Store management during long cool storage •Wet storage of flowers •Causes of shortened storage life •Determining when to terminate storage •Physiological disorders during low temperature storage •Post storage --
13 Supplements to refrigeration --
Irradiation •Chemical treatments •Types of gas packaging/storage methods •Advantages of gas storage •Controlled atmosphere •Hypobaric packaging/storage •Modified atmosphere --
14 Alternatives to refrigerated storage and transport --
Advantages. Criteria for determining effectiveness of storage method •Evaporative cooling •Modern applications of evaporative cooling •Storage in water •Nocturnal cooling •Clamp storage •Ventilated or air cooling •Combination of evaporative and ventilated cooling •Mixing with leaves Modified atmosphere •Diffused light storage Caves --
15 Quarantine treatments and postharvest control of insects --
Importance of postharvest control of insects •Importance of quarantine measures •Some important insect pests •Characteristics of a good treatment •Quarantine and control measures •Fumigants •Insecticides found being used for harvested fruits and vegetables •Control of insects for small volumes of root crops •Biocontrol
16 Postharvest disease control --
Extent of losses due to decay •Types of postharvest pathological diseases •Sources of postharvest infection •Conditions for rotting to occur •Some major postharvest diseases •Postharvest disease control --
Appendixes --
1 Scientific, English, Philippine Indonesian, Thai and Malaysian common names of produce mentioned in the text --
2 Sample problems on preparation of chemicals --
3 Conversion tables.

"Exotic fruits, vegetables, flowers, staple roots, and medicinal crops teem in the tropics. These treasures, however, are of a perishable nature. As soon as they are harvested, their quality deteriorates and heavy losses occur - the highest in the world. Many developing countries can ill afford these losses but they lack the information on how to reduce losses inexpensively. Most of the published information cater to temperate crops of developed countries and are found in technical journals.
This simplified guide to postharvest technology for perishable tropical crops is actually intended for the Southeast Asian region but may also apply to other tropical countries. While it is comprehensive in scope, the presentation and language have been simplified and terms are defined so that a person with difficulty in English or has no formal background in agriculture can easily understand them.
The book deals mainly on tried, traditional and potential technologies for maintaining quality, increasing efficiency, and minimiz- ing losses during handling, transport and storage that are suitable for the socio-economic and cultural conditions of Southeast Asia. Technologies in the developed countries are also discussed since they have potentials for application under conditions of the less developed countries. To better understand the technologies dis- cussed, a chapter on the basis of the technology is included.
Since postharvest technology is commodity- and location-specific, the book makes general guidelines for the use of the technology. It is recognized that a lot of the measures to make handling more efficient are non-technical, such as reducing the time required for moving commodities from the place of production to the place of utilization, reducing energy consumption in handling, reducing human and capital resources for handling, and improving roads and transport facilities.
Information contained in this book were drawn from informal sources in addition to extant literature, but since the book was developed over time for formal and informal teaching of postharvest technology, the sources of information have not been carefully recorded. General references are given, however, for those who would like to read more about the subject matter other than those given after each chapter. Brand names are not meant as an endorsement of the products, but to familiarize the readers with the chemicals.
There are gaps in information and technology since postharvest handling is a new field of study in tropical developing countries. This should challenge those interested in the postharvest technology of tropical perishable crops.
I wish to gratefully acknowledge the assistance, contribution, and suggestions of colleagues at the Postharvest Horticulture Training and Research Center, especially Marcelino U. Reyes, Prof. Tito J. Rimando and Dr. Romeo S. Rejesus. Unpublished information from friends, students and trainees from various countries have been very useful and the author is grateful for them. The author is also thankful to Dr. Doroteo B. Mendoza, Jr. for reviewing the book. Mr. Roger Baroga for editing it, Marilyn R. Luzon for typing the manuscript and Orlando L. Eusebio, Kevin Chua, Wilmar Lastimosa and Rode de Asis for making the illustrations." -
Ofelia K. Bautista, 1990