Recap

Understanding post harvest physiological

processes

Fresh produce are LIVING

1. They respire

2. They transpire

3. They die/ perish

PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF
FRUITS ANDVEGETABLES
There are three (3) major physiological stages
following initiation or germination:
GROWTH
MATURATION
SENESCENCE

Fruit Ripening
Ripening is a dramatic event in the life of a fruit
Transforms a physiologically mature but inedible
plant organ into a visually attractive olfactory and
taste sensation

Ripening process
After finishing the anabolic process, a series of
catalytic reactions start degradation of:
chlorophyll, aromas, organelles and finally
causing cellular collapse/death

Post-harvest technology delays

as long as possible, the tissue
Disintegration or senescence phase
Post Harvest Technology

Changes during Ripening

Characteristic aesthetic and/or food quality
color
texture or
other sensory attributes
changes in composition
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Key processes during the

post-harvest- life
Respiration
Transpiration
Ethylene production
Maturity process
Post Harvest Technology

Respiration rate
An excellent indicator of metabolism

A guide to the potential storage life of the produce

Unit of measurement - mL O2 or CO2 kg-1h-1
Respiration rate is highest for the immature fruit or
vegetable and then steadily declines with age

Internal Factors affecting respiration rate

Type of tissue or organ: Leaves > fruits> roots

Product size: bigger size< respiration rate

Stages of development:
young leaves >respiration

Respiration in fruits depends on their

classification as climacteric or non-climacteric

Post Harvest Technology

Todays Lecture
Classification of Climacteric and Non-climacteric
fruits
Respiration rate
Response to applied ethylene
Pattern of ethylene production during ripening

Aim and benefits of Postharvest technology

Quality, Marketability & Handling methods of
Horticultural Crops

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The climacteric period

The period in the development of some plant parts
that involves a series of biochemical changes
associated with the natural respiratory rise and
autocatalytic production of ethylene.
Consists

pre-climacteric,
pre-climacteric minimum,
climacteric rise,
climacteric peak, and
post-climacteric phases
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Climacteric and non-climacteric fruits

Respiration rate
Response to applied ethylene
Pattern of ethylene production during ripening

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Climacteric Respiration
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

Guava

Mango
Pear

Tomato

time
Post Harvest Technology

Non-climacteric Respiration
30

20

Strawberry
Grape

10
Cherry

Lemon
0

Time
Post Harvest Technology

Classification according to respiratory

behavior
Non-climacteric fruits

Climacteric fruits

Cherry
Cucumber
Cashew
Egg plant
Grape
Lemon/Lime
Pineapple
Satsuma mandarin
Strawberry
Sweet orange
Tamarillo (tree tomato)
Water melon

Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana/Plantain
Blueberry
Cherimoya
Fig
Guava
Kiwi
Mango
Papaya
Pear
Tomato
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Respiration rates of some FFV*

Respiration
rate
Low
Moderate

High
Very High
Post Harvest Technology

Rep. Rhythm .

PRODUCT

Mg CO2/Kg./Hr

5 - 10 mg
10 - 20 mg
20 - 40 mg
40 - 60 mg

Sugar beet, garlic, onion,

watermelon, citrus.
Cabbage, carrot,
cucumber, mango, tomato.
Avocado, cauliflower,
lettuce, strawberry.

Artichoke, broccoli,
spinach, parsley, sweet
Corn.

*FFV: Fresh fruits and Vegetables

Perishable rate of some FFV

PERISHABILITY POTENTIAL LIFE
INDEX
(WEEKS)
Very high

< 2 weeks

High

2 - 4 weeks

Moderate

4 - 8 weeks

Low

8 - 16 weeks

Very low

> 16 weeks

Post Harvest Technology

PRODUCTS
broccoli, cauliflower,
blackberry, strawberry
avocado, pineapple,
celery, tomato
lemon, watermelon
mango, potato,
onion, apple,
garlic, pear
nuts, dried fruits.

Respiration

Internal
Factors
Post Harvest Technology

External
Factors

External Factors affecting Respiration

temperature

mechanical damage and products sanitary

condition
atmosphere composition (< Oxygen and CO2<
respiration; > ethylene > respiration)
physical barriers (waxes, plastic films, etc.)
Post Harvest Technology

Temperature effect on respiration rate

30C At temperatures above
20C

the optimum, the rate of

deterioration increases
2 to 3 fold for every
10C rise in temperature

10C

Time
Post Harvest Technology

High temperatureincreases the

transpiration rate

 Temperature can affects severity of mechanical

damage
Compromise natural barriers -increasing water
loses and pathogenic infections
Impact
Respiration
Ethylene
Post Harvest Technology

Time

Transpiration
Loss of water, as vapor, from the products area
exposed to the air, throughout the cuticle,
lenticels, stomas, etc.
It depends on:
Internal factors:
species and variety.
type of tissue.
integrity and sanitary product condition.
Post Harvest Technology

Transpiration
External factors:
Relative Humidity (<RH

> transpiration)

Temperature (>temperature

> transpiration)

Air movement (increase the transpiration rate)

Altitude (higher altitude < transpiration)
Physical barriers (avoid air contact with the productreduce transpiration rate)
Post Harvest Technology

Waterloss and humidity

Waterloss is loss of saleable weight, appeal, and
thus is a direct loss in marketing
Waterloss results in shriveling, loss of crispness
and undesirable changes in colour and
palatability
Fruits and vegetables can be regarded as
essentially water in fancy and expensive
packages
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Factors affecting water loss

Environmental conditions
Temperature and other psychrometric properties of air

Surface area/volume effects

Greater surface area by evaporation from produce
with a high surface area to unit volume ratio

Nature of surface coatings

Type and structure of wax coating

Mechanical damage to tissues

Greatly accelerates water loss thus, wound healing
(curing) may be needed

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Control of water loss

Control of environmental conditions
Increasing relative humidity
Decreasing temperature

Control of air movement

Packaging
Waxing
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Ethylene Production
Ethylene (C2H4) is a naturally occurring organic
molecule that is a colourless gas at biological
temperatures
Synthesized in small quantities by plants and appears
to co-ordinate their growth and development
Associated with the decomposition of wounded
produce

Fresh produce can be categorized as being either

climacteric or non-climacteric on the basis of its ability
to produce ethylene during the ripening process
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Ethylene biosynthesis
Produced from methionine via a pathway that includes
the intermediates S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM) and
1- aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)
SAM is converted to ACC by ACC synthase
Ethylene forming enzyme (EFE), is required to convert
ACC to ethylene
Factors affecting the activity of ACC synthase

fruit ripening,
senescence,
auxin,
physical injuries and
chilling injury

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Climacteric and non-climacteric fruits

Respiration rate
Pattern of ethylene production during ripening
Response to applied ethylene

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Classification according to ethylene

production and response

Post Harvest Technology

Climacteric Produce
Produces a burst of ethylene and shows an
increase in respiration on ripening
Ripening of climacteric fruits after harvest
typically involves softening and a change in
colour and taste in terms of sweetness

Leafy vegetables are highly sensitive to Ethylene

(withering and yellowing)
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Non-climacteric Produce
Does not show increased ethylene production
on ripening, with relatively little quality change
after harvest
Non-climacteric produce undergoes slight
softening with a loss in green colour after
harvest, with relatively little change in eating
quality

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Effects of Ethylene
Ethylene has both beneficial and harmful effects
on the quality of horticultural produce
Ethylene enhances produce quality by promoting
desirable colour development and stimulating the
ripening of climacteric fruit
However, its undesirable effects include
Accelerated ripening and softening of fruits,
Accelerated senescence and loss of green colour in
leafy, floral and immature fruit/vegetables
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Control of Ethylene
The unwanted effects of ethylene can be
overcome through

low temperature storage,

controlled or modified atmosphere storage,
ventilation of ripening rooms,
segregation of ethylene producing commodities
from ethylene sensitive ones,
the use of ethylene absorbers such as potassium
permanganate (KMnO4) in cold rooms
The ethylene inhibitor 1-MCP (1methylcyclopropene) could also be used
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Sources of ethylene for ripening

Depending on costs, convenience and safety
factors
Liquid:
Ethrel or Ethephon ie 2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid
Ethrel is hydrolysed in plant tissue to produce ethylene,
phosphate and chloride

Large gas cylinders

Ethylene is highly flammable, it is often diluted with N2
Typical mixtures- 95%N2 and 5% ethylene or 95.5/4.5%
Often metered into ripening rooms
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Sources of ethylene for ripening

Small gas cylinders
One pass use
Controlled use

Ethylene generators-Devices placed in

ripening rooms
Proprietary based

Other gases have been shown to initiate

ripening of fruit
Acetylene
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The aims of postharvest technology

To reduce and delay the action
of the internal factors that are
responsible for product
deterioration

Post Harvest Technology

Avoid the negative effect

of external factors

Post harvest loss reduction technology

includes
Usage of optimum harvest factors
Reduction of losses in handling
By using appropriate packaging, transportation and
storage with modern technology

Processing into a wide variety of products

Home scale preservation with low cost
technology
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Others include
Use of thermal processing
low temperature, drying

Chemical and biological reactions coupled

with other preservation techniques applied to
enhance the storability

Containers and packaging materials to confer

portability as well as extend the shelf-life
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Benefits of applied post harvest

technology
Provision of large quantities of food at a given

time
Reduction in food losses
Provision of higher quality and nutritious foods

More raw materials for processing, thus

ensuring better returns to the farmers
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 Product quality maintenance (reduce loses)

Generate product added value
Generate market opportunities

Post Harvest Technology

Why Produce Value Addition

This is important due to diversity in socioeconomic conditions, industrial growth,
urbanization and globalization
Results in higher profits for producers and
processors, better taste and nutrition as well as
convenience

By changing their form, colour and using other

methods, shelf life of perishables can be extended
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