WORKSHOP ON POST
HARVESTING
TECHNIQUES OF FRUIT
AND VEGETABLE
PRODUCTS
INTRODUCTION FOOD
QUALITY STATEMENT
• It is recommended that there is a need for
classification and a quality mark on local
produce, otherwise consumers have little
confidence in purchasing it as they are
unable to be confident of local produce of
good quality.
PROCESS INVOLVED
• This process involves producers
examining produce for the following
characteristics: • Size
• Shape
• Colour
• Visual Defects
Marketing Information Required
• All domestic products should be labelled and
packed with the following: • Place of origin, including name and address of
producer
• Local Quality Mark
• Weight and/or, count of product consignment
and where applicable size
• Grade, classification, and variety of the product
to Relevant Standards
• Failure to do so, leaves a potential lack of
consumer confidence
Key Marketing Issues to be
addressed
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Sorting
Grading
Storage
Packaging
Labeling
Quality inspection systems
Cleaning and hygiene
Role of Wholesale Markets
SORTING - GRADING
SORTING GRADING
Sorting grading operation in all European countries is
fully mechanised.Two types are available.
One where produce just moves through conveyer belts and
sorting and packing is done manually by workers.
Second, fully automatic sorting and packing lines, where
produce is sorted and graded through computer control systems .
This is done by on the basis of presence of blemishes and colour
and also grading is done by weight or size basis and produce is
packed in cartons or crates automatically.
Sorting – Grading of Capsicum
Sorting – Grading of Asparagus
Sorting – Grading of Tomato
Sorting – Grading of Capsicum
Sorting of Produce at Amman
Wholesale Market - Jordan
Jordanian Exported Produce on sale in
Dubai
STORE
MANAGEMENT
STORAGE
• Growers and store managers should
always keep in mind that the purpose
of storing fruit and vegetables is to
ensure a supply of highly acceptable
fruit and vegetables outside of the
growing season for as long as is
possible and economically justified.
STORAGE
• The objectives of storage are to:
• Preserve the freshness of produce to a degree
that makes them as acceptable to the customer
as freshly harvested crops.
• To satisfy a regular continuous demand outside
of the regular season of production
• To provide as near to a year round supply of the
staple commodity produce as possible
STORAGE
• Store managers must be aware that the
maximum storage life of fruit and
vegetables can only be achieved by
storing undamaged produce at the
lowest temperature tolerable to the
crop.
STORAGE
• Store managers should strive to
maintain an even storage temperature
regime through out the entire length of
the storage period. Crops entering
store should be cooled down to their
optimum storage temperature as soon
as possible, as any delay in lowering
temperature will seriously affect the
length of time that the crop can be
successfully stored.
STORAGE
• Automated systems of temperature control
are recommended, but at the very least
stores should have hand read or electronic
thermometers available to measure stored
crop temperature at representative points in
the store (at least one thermometer for every
150 tonnes of stored crop).
PACKAGING AND
TRANSPORTATION
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
Most Fruit and Vegetables Produce needs
packaging of some sort, this can be bag,
box, crate basket, containers etc
Exceptions are generally large fruit and
vegetables such as pumpkins and water
melons
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
Produce preparation and good packaging
techniques should be more than repaid by
:• Higher Prices
• Lower Losses
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
Sophisticated Packaging will be used more
when it significantly reduces losses of
perishable produce e.g. soft fruits
Other Example is the
Waxing and wrapping of for example
oranges is very common, and preserves
the produce and make it more attractive to
the buyer
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
The Packaging of fruit and vegetables
serves six basic purposes: -
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
• Costs and product loss would certainly be
much higher if everything had to be carried
and moved without any form of packaging
• Allows short/medium storage of produce
and in some cases for example
Cauliflower long term frozen storage due
to Vapour/gas tight packing
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
• It makes produce more attractive to the
buyer thus increasing the price at which it
can be sold.
• Packaging and labelling of produce also
gives the buyer confidence in
procurement, because more information is
available about the product. For example,
size, grade, origin etc
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
• It provides a convenient way of
handling and transporting produce
• Packaging is used to divide produce into
convenient units for wholesale and retail
sales
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
Calculating packaging costs
Assume that apples are packed 12 kg at a
time in plastic crates which, with
occasional repairs, can be used for 40
trips. A box costs $6, repairs and cleaning
during its life costs $2 and each time the
box is transported back empty to the
producing area costs $1.
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
Then the packaging cost per trip is ...
[ (original cost + repairs) ÷ no. of trips]
+ transport when empty
or
($6 + $2) ÷ 40 trips + $1 = $1.20 per 12 kg
and
$1.20 ÷ 12 kg = $0.10 per kg
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
• Transport loaded with fresh produce either
in bulk or in containers of any description
should be driven considerately, as driving
too fast on fields, rough farm tracks or the
highway will cause compression damage
to produce.
• Also damage can be caused in transit by
the constant shaking on bumpy roads and
exposure to sun on top of the truck
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
• Containers, bulk bins or sacks should be
loaded onto transport carefully and in such
a way as to avoid shifting or collapse of
the load during transportation.
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
• Bulk loads or the top of open containers
travelling long distances should be
covered with preferable a open weave
sheet such as hessian to prevent
excessive dehydration caused by
exposure to hot sun.
Packaging and Transportation
of Fruit and Vegetables
Transporting and charging by Container
• Truckers paid on a container basis, leads
farmers and traders to squeezing as much
as possible into the container
• This can be a false economy and the loss
resulting from damage caused usually
exceeds the savings in transport costs
Transportation of Jordanian Produce to Dubai
PACKAGING
Following types of packing are in use for
packing of various fruit and vegetables in
European countries:
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Cardboard carton
Plastic crates
Nylon net bags
Polythene bags
Shrink wraps
Tray packing
Quality Inspection & packing Tomatoes
Recommended International Standard Wholesale
Packaging Guidelines for Selected Fruits and
Vegetables
Product
Recommended
Carton/Box Size
Recommended Case
Material
Recommended Capacity
(cm)
APPLES
50 x 30 x 20
Wooden or
corrugated cardboard
Box
8 – 12 Kilos
GRAPES
60 x 40 x 24
Plastic or corrugated
cardboard Box
8
Kilos
produce
separated by plastic
bagged
/
wrapped
cluster bags of 1 kg
PEPPERS/PAPRIKA
60 x 40 x 24
Plastic or Corrugated
cardboard Box
5 – 7.5 Kilos
SOFT FRUIT
50 x 30 x 204
Plastic or corrugated
cardboard box
4-5 Kilos
Carton boxes used
for packing
Automatic Capsicum packing line
Banana packing
Cauliflower & Leeks packed in crates
Capsicum packing
Onions packed in crates & nylon net bags
Automatic Tomato packing line
Capsicums Shrink wrap tray packing
LABELLING
QUALITY LABELS
To establish the confidence among buyers food labels
are a compulsory part of the international quality
standards
• Some markets used their own quality label on the packs,
which is a indication of top quality.
• One such label used in Europe is FLANDRIA QUALITY
who sell more than 30 varieties of fruit & vegetables
under this label.
Flandria quality label for leek
Quality label for Tomatoes
Quality label for lettuce
Quality label
Branding
CONCEPT AND ROLE OF FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE WHOLESALE MARKETS
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• WHOLESALE MARKET
• On-site services include:
Sorting, Grading, Packing Facilities
Temperature Control Storage
Market Information
Food Quality Controls
Mechanical Handling Services
Processing facilities
The Importance of a Central Wholesale Market
at National Level
IMPORTERS
LOCAL PRODUCERS
OVERSEAS PRODUCERS
WHOLESALE MARKET
On-site services must include:
Sorting, Grading, Packing Facilities
Temperature Controlled Cold Storage
Produce Mechanical Handling
Market Information Services
Food Quality Control Systems
PROCESSORS
RETAILERS
SUPERMARKET CHAIN
How the Wholesale Centre operates
The Dina Wholesale Food Centre in Kazakhstan, C. Asia provides services for
wholesalers and farmers and attracts many buyers to make it easy for them to sell
their produce
Dina Wholesale Centre
an independent, non-trading company
Services to attract buyers and assist Wholesalers and
Farmers
Publicity and
Promotion
Market
Information
Coldstore facilities &
Sorting,
Grading, Packing
Pay rent for space to sell from
Farmers
acting as
wholesalers
Profits
Wholesalers
BUYERS - Restaurants, Hospitals, Shops, Kiosks Schools, Hotels, Market traders
Buyers like to buy at the Wholesale Centre because of the wide choice, variety
and the chance of comparing value for money
FOOD QUALITY
STANDARDS AND
INSPECTION SYSTEMS
Quality Inspection Systems
• At farm level
• At the market
At farm level: Responsibility lies with the
grower himself to conform to international
standards.
At market : Checked by independent Govt.
Agencies.
Quality Standard Guidelines
Quality Standards to Assist Producers
Sample of International Quality
Standards for Tomatoes
• Various Classes of Tomatoes with Quality Tolerance Levels
based on weight, size, shape, blemishes and defects
• Extra’ Class , Class I, Class II
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B. Size tolerances
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For all classes:
10% by number or weight of tomatoes conforming to the size immediately above or below that
specified
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Sizing scale
The following sizing scale has been adopted:
35 mm and over but under 40 mm
40 mm and over but under 47 mm ,47 mm and over but under 57 mm
57 mm and over but under 67 mm ,67 mm and over but under 82 mm
82 mm and over but under 102 mm,102 mm and over.
Advice in Post Harvest Techniques
QUALITY INSPECTION TOOLS
For quality inspection various types of tools are
used in European countries, some of them are
• Sampling and inspection Trolley.
• Hand size graders – For measuring
different diameter.
• Fruit pressure tester – For checking fruit
hardness.
• Colorimeter – For checking fruit maturity.
Quality Inspection trolley
Checking Apple maturity using Colorimeter
Amman Auction Market
• The emphasis on Food Quality issues within
the market, seems to be lacking, it was
suggested that the market company need to
review existing services to improve the general
environment of the market
Recommendations to the Amman
Auction Market
• If a separate auction market is to be established
for Export Sales then a number of initiatives
need to be introduced.
• 1. Consideration should be given. that produce
sold needs to be standardised in line with
international standards for fresh fruit and
vegetables, and traders segregated depending
on the produce sold
Amman Auction Market
• 2. The Market must ensure quality control
measures are introduced and products are
sold in a more transparent way, by weight,
class, size, and place of origin
• 3. Standard packaging and labelling needs
to be introduced for selected fruit and
vegetable products
Amman Auction Market
• 4.On site sorting, grading and packaging
facilities should be considered by the
market as a charging service to users
• 5. New “hands on” management systems
need to be introduced to make the market
more efficient and effective, and to
observe trading methods of wholesalers
For example: - Auction Trading
THANK YOU