Adverse high temperature effects

Tropical fruit and vegetables are more tolerant of high temperatures than other crops,
but high temperatures can lead to 'assaults' such as direct sunlight, hot ambient air and
heat treatments for pest eradication. The activity of enzymes in fruit and vegetables
generally declines at temperatures above 30°C, and at certain temperatures, specific
enzymes become inactive. Continuous exposure of some climacteric fruit to
temperatures around 30°C allows the flesh to ripen, but inhibits fruit colouration. When
produce is held above 35°C, its metabolism becomes abnormal and this leads to a
breakdown of membrane integrity and structure, resulting in the disruption of cellular
organisation and rapid deterioration of the produce. This condition in banana and
tomato is often referred to as 'boiled'.

Sugar–starch balance

The storage of some vegetables (including potato, sweet potato, green peas and sweet
corn) at low temperatures can alter the

Starch–sugar balance in the produce. At any temperature,

Starch and sugar are in dynamic equilibrium and some sugar is

Degraded to carbon dioxide during respiration:

Starch ¥¼ sugar ¼ CO2

At ambient temperatures, the starch–sugar balance in potato and sweet potato is

heavily biased towards accumulation. The accumulation of sugar in potato stored at low
temperatures can be largely reversed by raising the storage temperature to 10°C or
above. Potato with a high sugar content has poor texture and a sweet taste when
boiled. When these potatoes are fried, excessive browning occurs due to caramelisation
and reactions between amino acids and sugars (Maillard reaction).

Storage life

There is no one ideal temperature for the storage of horticultural commodities, as their
responses to temperature vary widely. Physical processes such as transpiration and
physiological reactions like chilling injury must be taken into account, as well as the
required duration of storage. For fruit and vegetables not susceptible to chilling injury,
the maximum storage life can be obtained at temperatures close to but above the
freezing point. For chilling-sensitive produce, there are potential immediate advantages
of applying low temperature during storage and distribution. Recommended storage
conditions are a compromise to obtain the maximum time without adverse reaction.

Table 4.1 provides general storage temperature ranges recommended for a selection of
fruit and vegetables. The storage period ranges listed under each of the three storage
temperature ranges recognize that for a particular produce, factors such as cultivar,
season and maturity at harvest can give different physiological and metabolic
responses. The temperature groupings in Table 4.1 also have application when the
volume of specific produce lines being handled is insufficient to fill a storage room or
transport container. Generally, safe temperature settings for long-term mixed storage of
horticultural produce are 1°C for produce that is not susceptible to low temperature
injury, 5°C and 10°C for those susceptible to chilling injury. Considerations of
compatibility of humidity requirements and ethylene sensitivity are also important in
determining the feasibility of mixed storage arrangements.

Table 4.1

Table 4.1 shows a wide range of storage times for various produce, ranging from a few
days to many months. The storage life of individual produce is determined by the overall
rate of metabolism, which is related to the respiration rate. Produce with a low
respiration rate generally store for longer periods. Examples of produce respiration rates
are given in Table 4.2. Produce which have the shortest storage life are leafy
vegetables, fruits that are harvested when ripe and rapidly metabolising, and chilling-
sensitive tropical fruit. Those with the longest storage life are underground vegetables
and pome and citrus fruits.

Table 4.2

Temperature recommendations for different commodities

Leafy vegetables and immature flower heads

Many of these vegetables comprise immature tissues, which have very high rates of
respiration. They should be cooled to about 1°C as soon as practical after harvest and
maintained at low temperature throughout storage and preferably also during marketing.

Vegetable friuts

Vegetable fruits can be divided into two sub-groups: those consumed in an immature
unripe condition (e.g. green legumes, cucumbers and peppers) and those consumed
when mature and ripe(e.g. melons, pumpkins and tomatoes). Most vegetable fruits are
susceptible to low temperature injuries and are stored at temperatures ranging from 3-
5°C for beans to 10-15°C for pumpkins. Tomatoes are more tolerant of low temperature
when ripe.
Underground vegetables

This group encompasses diverse organ types, including bulbs (e.g. onion), roots (e.g.
carrot), tubers (e.g. potato) and rhizomes (e.g. ginger) . Bulbs should be stored at 0°C
or slightly lower, while roots should be held at 5-20°C and tubers at 5-15°C. Sweet
potato is susceptible to chilling injury at tempera-tures below 10°C. Sprouting and
rotting are the major storage problems.

Deciduous tree and vine fruit

Deciduous fruit tree products have a variable storage life, ranging from one to two
weeks for apricots and figs to over six months for some apples and pears. Temperate
fruits with an inherently short storage life benefit from rapid cooling after harvest. The
recommended storage temperature for most deciduous and vine fruit is –1 to 0°C,
except for specific apple and pear cultivars where the recommended temperature can
be up to 5°C. Care must be taken with unripe deciduous fruit as prolonged storage at
low temperature can inhibit the ability of fruit to ripen after cool storage.

Berries

Berries are the most perishable of all fruits, with only a few days storage life. They are
non-climacteric fruit with high respiration rates and are harvested at optimum eating
quality. Their soft and succulent nature makes them susceptible to physical damage
that leads to general senescence and rotting. The recommended storage temperature
for most berries is –1 to 0°C.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are prone to physiological disorders, which vary greatly among species,
cultivars, and growing regions. Genotype-associated variability gives rise to a range of
recommended storage temperatures, from 4°C to 15°C.

Tropical and subtropical fruits

Most tropical and subtropical fruits are susceptible to low temperature injuries, with the
degree of severity often related to the production environment. Tropical fruits should not
be stored below 10°C, while subtropical fruit have a range of recommended
temperatures from 4-13°C. Ripe fruit can be stored at temperatures about 5°C less than
unripe fruit, but with a more limited storage life.
Matching postharvest technology with market need all postharvest interventions,
whether from changes in handling, storage or transport systems, come at some
economic cost, which must be recouped from an improved market return. It is important
not to over-capitalise in the postharvest technology if the economic return will not
realised. For example, there are unnecessary costs in refrigeration energy to store
produce at the optimum low temperature, if the produce is marketed well before the
maximum storage life at that temperature.

Cooling of produce

The objective of postharvest storage is to maintain the nutritional and eating quality of
the produce to reach the consumer. This is done by slowing the rates of produce
deterioration without predisposing it to abnormal ripening or other undesirable changes.
Cool stores for fresh horticultural produce are generally required to operate within
relatively close temperature limits, both in space and time, to maximize storage life and
eating quality and to avoid freezing and desiccation. Harvesting at night has been
investigated in certain situations, but is not feasible for larger growers where large
volumes of produce need to be rapidly harvested.