BLUEBERRY

Storage

Pre- & Postharvest Storage

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1 Pre-harvest conditions and picking

1.1 Growth conditions

Blueberries are long-range, woody crops, which loose their leaves during autumn. The blueberry tree
can reach up to 2 meters height and its leaves turn fire red during fall.

The world production of blueberries is estimated to entail 310.000 tons in total. 85% of the total
blueberry production was produced in North America.

The blueberry is cultivated in an airy sand- or peat soil with a low pH value (4-5). Higher pH values do
not allow blueberry bushes to grow properly and will eventually die. The blueberry also needs humid
soils.

2 Climate and weather

Blueberries grow particularly well in temperate climate zones. They are well resistant against frost,
although early matured blueberry races can be damaged by night frosts during springtime.
Furthermore, different berry species can be placed in the shade or in full sunlight. The setting of the
fruit is also dependent on the weather conditions..

3 Picking time and picking method

The color of the blueberry determines whether or not the fruit is ready for harvest. Sugar and sour
level can also be involved in this. The berries need to be completely matured in order to be harvested,
due to the decreasing quality of taste right after harvesting. For the fresh blueberry market, the fruit is
harvested manually due to their vulnerability. The berries need to be handled with upmost care, every
potential bruise threat can lead to deduction of the quality of the berry, and can increase the possibility
of mold growth.

Mechanic harvest of blueberries is particularly increasing in the deepfreeze berry industry. The
machine ‘walks’ over the orchards (see picture below) and shakes off the berries, which after, are
caught by the machine. This machine has the advantage of speeding the fruit picking. It is said that a
single machine is able to replace 100 fruit pickers. The disadvantage however, is that after the picking,
the harvest needs to be sorted very strictly due to the fact that damaged, unripe, and rotten fruits are
also picked. Moreover, also the shelf life of the berries is shortened and therefore, the way of
harvesting needs to be changed when using this harvest method.

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4 Post-Harvest preservation, packaging and sorting

4.1 Pre-cooling

Because of the very high product temperatures at harvest, there is a clear need for harvested berries
to be cooled as quickly as possible to the optimum storage temperature. The pre-cooling by means of
through-flow cooling has beneficial effects. The moisture loss is reduced and the shelf life is extended.

5 Storage
5.1 Temperature and Relative Humidity

In general, blueberries can be stored for a relatively short period of time. Storage must happen at
temperatures around the freezing point and the highest possible R.H. The storage life decreases
rapidly these optimum conditions aren’t properly maintained.

5.2 Gas composition

Increasing the carbon dioxide content has several beneficial effects. The growth of the fungus Botrytis
and other fungi, which cause rot, is reduced by lowering the carbon dioxide content to 15-20%.
Reducing the oxygen content to 5-10% causes similar effects. Further, respiration and the softening of
the fruit are reduced by the said changes in the atmosphere, thus increasing the shelf life. For
relatively long-term storage, use plastic pallet covers. Herein, the air composition can be changed and
controlled by a CA control system. The long-term storage of blueberries in pallet covers (Palliflex) in
cold storage has become popular over the last 10 years.

Blueberries can be stored for about 2 weeks at -0.5 ° to 0 ° C with high R.H. Pre-cooling is important.
Mixtures of soft-ripe and hard-ripe berries, caused by late harvest, may harm the storability of the fruit.
The ratio sugar acid increases with maturity and if the ratio exceeds 30, it is better to process the
berries quickly than to offer to the fresh market.

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5.3 Storage deviations and decay

Typical post-harvest deviations from blueberries may be;

• Wrinkling / dehydration:
Berries are susceptible to dehydration, which leads to wrinkling of the berries. The gloss will
also fade. Maintaining 90-95% R.H. at optimum temperature reduces the moisture loss.
• Leaking fruits:
Moisture enters through the skin outwards by physiological causes. The main causes of
parasitic decay are Botrytis, who can still grow at 00C and Rhizopus. For further details,
reference is made to the work of Anna L. Snowdon.
• CA-related deviations:
Exposure to concentrations of oxygen and / or carbon dioxide <2% and> 25% can cause off-
flavors and brown discoloration, depending on the cultivar, the duration of exposure and the
temperature.

5.4 Ethylene
Blueberries are climacterial and thus respond to ethylene.

5.5 Packaging

In relation to their vulnerability, blueberries are to be harvested in consumer packaging. The moving of
the fruits has to be avoided. In general, it is recommended to use of plastics during the distribution in
order to prevent dehydration. The consumer packages can be wrapped in different materials for the
market.

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6 Transport
Local transport often takes place with relatively primitive means. Intercontinental transport, however,
takes place in ships, equipped with refrigeration and CA-conditioning.

7 Sorting
Sorting by size and quality is limited to the actions at harvest. Mechanical harvesting is inapplicable for
the fresh market blueberries.

Quality, sorting and packaging requirements as well as the tolerances for international traffic are listed
in so-called Marketing Standards.

Product features

kCal / (tonne x day)

Heat production
0°C 10°C 20°C

366 1098 4148

Liter / (tonne x day)

CO2 production
0°C 10°C 20°C

3 9 34

Freezing temperature
-1.3°C

Optimum storage temp.

-0.5°C to 0°C

Optimal R.H.
90-95%

Optimal CA conditions
8 – 12% CO2 + 2 – 5% O2

Ethylene production
0.1-1.0 µl / kg•hr at 5°C (41°F)

Maximal storability Coldstore CA

1-3 wks 6-8 wks

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Van Amerongen CA Technology | Biezenwei 6 | 4004 MB Tiel | The Netherlands | www.van-amerongen.com | info@van-amerongen.coml | t +31 344 670 570