Postharvest Losses & Causes

Question 1

What are stages in the postharvest chain?

Answer 1

harvest
prep/pack
cold storage (MA/CA)
transport/distribution
retail
home prep
consumption

Question 2

postharvest processing is considered to be ____ processing.

Answer 2

primary

Question 3

Postharvest begins with ____. What begins to happen after this step?

Answer 3

harvest (separate from mother plant)

deterioration

Question 4

The longer the period between harvest and consumption, the ____ the quality. What is the exception?

Answer 4

lower

certain fruits that require ripening

Question 5

What are some causes of produce losses?

Answer 5

field losses
microbial spoilage
animal contamination
quality loss
culling/grading
mechanical damage
sprouting
rancidity

Question 6

produce is categorized as ___ or ____.

Answer 6

durables; perishables

Question 7

What are some characteristics of durable produce? What usually causes spoilage?

Answer 7

low moisture (10-15%)
small size (<1g)
low resp rate
hard texture
long natural shelf life

spoilage caused by rodents/bird/mold (external)

Question 8

What are characteristics of perishable produce? What causes spoilage?

Answer 8

high moisture (50-90%)
larger size (5g-5kg)
high resp rate
soft texture
shelf life few days-few months

spoilage caused by external and internal factors (sprouting, enzymes, etc)

Question 9

estimated total losses in postharvest chain:

Answer 9

25-40%

Question 10

What are advantages of Minimizing Post harvest losses?

Answer 10

1. Better nutrition quality
2. economic incentive
3. Feedback incentive (producers unlikely to produce more food, fear of further losses)
4. Cost effective
5. environmentally friendly
6. consumer satisfaction

Question 11

The further down the chain that losses occur, the ____ the cost associated

Answer 11

greater $$$$$

Question 12

How should the problem of post harvest losses be approached?

Answer 12

1. understand causes
2. identify factors that affect them
3. use conditions to control factors -> minimize spoilage

Question 13

primary causes of postharvest losses:

Answer 13

1. biological/microbial
2. chemical/biochemical
3. mechanical
4. physical
5. physiological
6. psychological
7. foreign substances

Question 14

What are biological/microbial causes of postharvest loss?

Answer 14

contamination by spoilage bacteria, mold, fungi

eaten by rodents, birds

Question 15

What are chemical/biochemical causes of postharvest loss?

Answer 15

enzyme activity (browning, softness), rancidity, off-flavors

Question 16

What are mechanical causes of postharvest loss?

Answer 16

physical damage: bruising, cuts, crushed, punctured

Question 17

What are physical causes of postharvest loss?

Answer 17

improper storage conditions (temperature, humidity, light)

Question 18

What are physiological causes of postharvest loss?

Answer 18

sprouting, aging, respiration, transpiration

Question 19

What are psychological causes of postharvest loss?

Answer 19

human aversion (religion, personal)

Question 20

What are the secondary causes of postharvest losses?

Answer 20

1. improper handling/harvest
2. inadequate storage conditions
3. inadequate transportation
4. inadequate refrigeration
5. inadequate marketing system

Question 21

What are causes of postharvest loss related to the produce itself?

Answer 21

1. respiration
2. transpiration
3. ethylene production
4. compositional changes
5. growth/development
6. physiological breakdown
7. other (bruising, microbial)

Question 22

What is essential to success in postharvest handling?

Answer 22

1. harvest at right time
2. good initial quality
3. careful handling
4. control storage environment
5. sanitation