University of Antique- Hamtic Campus

Guintas, Hamtic, Antique

Module V
Handling and Processing of Fruits and Vegetables

I. Learning Objectives

At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:

1. Broadly understand the process of postproduction operations including harvesting, processing, transportation
system, supplementary techniques for specific fruits, and economic and social considerations in handling and
processing of fruits and vegetables.

II. Pre-Test
A. Explain the following terms:
1. Curing
2. Freezing
3. Drying
4. Packing house operation
5.

III. Learning Content

Intensive farming is coming under increasing pressure to conform to the principles of sustainability and consumers
are demanding produce free of chemical residues. As a result, “green” or ecologically-friendly agriculture is increasingly
being adopted around the world. Organic farming has a long history and has the advantage that more and more
countries are adopting regulations about the use of the term organic; this is helping to build public confidence in the
concept.
The organic market follows the trends of conventional products. Bananas and citrus fruit are generally the largest
volume fruit imports. Other principal fruit imports are pineapples, mangoes, and avocados. The vegetable market is
generally less developed.

POST-PORDUCTION OPERATIONS
Harvesting
 There are few specific considerations for harvesting organic produce. Normal attention must be paid to harvesting each
crop at its optimum maturity, bearing in mind its intended market; harvesting early in the day and keeping harvested
produce in the shade, wherever possible; and removing field heat quickly.
Curing
 Some root, tuber, and bulb crops require a “curing” period at ambient or elevated temperature to promote wound
healing and ensure optimum storage life. There are no specific requirements for curing organic produce.
Packing House Operations
 Most markets require strict attention to
be paid to the size, grade, quality and
maturity of produce, whether or not it is
organic. Fruit and vegetables must be
cleaned and graded to comply with
these regulations. Special considerations
needs to be paid to the cleaning or
sterilization of grading and processing
equipment in an organic operation:
organic produce must be “free of
substance used to clean, disinfect, and
sanitize food processing facilities”, which
can be achieved by re-washing
equipment with hot water after the use of

CVAGonzales, 2020
 University of Antique- Hamtic Campus
Guintas, Hamtic, Antique
cleaning agents, or passing non-organic produce through the system before the organic produce. Ethylene is permitted
for post-harvest ripening.
 The main operation in places where the commodities are prepared for market is packing, hence the term packinghouse
or packing station. Washing, trimming, and sorting are done before packing when there is a demand for washed,
trimmed and sorted commodities.
 As the enterprise expands from small to big domestic enterprise, or from domestic to export trading more complex
operations take place.
Packing and Packaging Materials
 Organic product packaging should have minimal adverse environmental impacts; and recommend that the “Processors
of organic food should avoid unnecessary packaging materials; and organic food should be packaged in reusable,
recycled, recyclable and biodegradable packaging whenever possible.
 Thus, although all types of packaging are authorized, there is an expectation that careful thought will have gone into
the choice of the packaging with regard to its environmental impact. In the future, restrictions may be put in place
concerning the use of packaging materials that are harmful to the environment, especially for those packaging
materials that are not recyclable or biodegradable.
 Cardboard and paper. These traditional materials are generally readily available and inexpensive, they have several
drawbacks; porous to gas, permeable to water, easily torn or crushed. They protect the products only from light
impacts. In organic farming, these materials are principally used for fresh fruits and vegetables.
 Plastic. Plastic packaging is likely to deliver the best quality produce, minimizing wastage. It can be pre-printed for
marketing purposes and it is ideally suited to forming flexible unbreakable packaging matched to the product’s needs.
Plastic is selectively permeable to gas and water, depending on the type of polymer. Some polymers are therefore
ideally suited to creating a modified atmosphere around fresh fruits and vegetables.
 Glass. Glass receptacles are principally used for liquid products or solids in liquid. Glass receptacles are well adapted to
organic products as they are impermeable to gas, air moisture, micro-organisms and resistant to thermal treatments.
 Metal. Metal offers the same sealing advantages and resistance to thermal treatments as glass. However, the consumer
image of this types of packaging is unfavourable; and metal can be subject to corrosion.

STORAGE OF FRUITS and VEGETABLES

Organic Products needs to be stored and transported in a way that is properly identified and physically separated from non-
organic products. Although individual products have a range of optimal storage temperatures, in practices most produce can be
stored at one of three temperatures. These recommendations should always be verified under local conditions for each variety
and harvest maturity. For certain fruits and vegetables (e.g mangoes, bananas) cooling in stages plus intermittent warming
allows the produce to resist chilling injury and spoilage.
The refrigeration of fruits and vegetables improves when carried out with the proper relative humidity for each product.
Appropriate storage are always a compromise; high humidity levels limit dehydration and loss of weight, but encourage the
development of microorganism leading to rots. When different kinds of produce are mixed ins storage, consideration must be
given to aroma volatiles which may taint other produce (durian and onion) and ethylene which may be ripen or damage other
produce. The risk of mutual contamination is most pronounced between fruits which emit large quantities of ethylene and
produce which is sensitive to ethylene like avocados, bananas, and papayas.

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
 There are no particular, legislative requirements for transporting organic fruit and vegetables but as noted above, air
travel is extremely wasteful of fossil fuels. This is less of an issue if the produce is travelling with passengers but is a
serious argument against the use of cargo-only planes for fresh fruit and vegetables if there are locally-grown
equivalents available in the importing country.
 It is important to look at the infrastructure for freight before establishing a perishable crop as every delay in transit to
urban centres, ports and airports reduces the potential shelf life of the produce.
 Ideally refrigerated trucks, should be used for produce stored at low temperatures to maintain the cool chain from the
growers property to the marketplace.
 Harvesting should be timed to coincide with air- or sea-freight opportunities if refrigerated storage is limited.

PROCESSING

FREEZING
 Freezing is the only processing method that keeps produce in a state similar to the fresh crop. It is quite often applied
to vegetables but rarely used for fruits, as they do not handle it well. If properly frozen, stored and defrosted, frozen
produce becomes a high quality raw material.
CVAGonzales, 2020
 University of Antique- Hamtic Campus
Guintas, Hamtic, Antique
 Nutritional quality is generally retained at at-harvest levels when the product is sold frozen. Significant vitamin loss may
occur during subsequent thawing and cooking. Color, odor and taste are retained well by freezing, but superficial
dehydration occurs.

DRYING
 Fruit are the principal imported dried produce and are easy to transport and store. Dried vegetables are produced in
low volumes for the local market but can be useful for soup mixes.
 The major risk with dried products are microbiological attack and physiological deterioration.
 Physiological deterioration is caused by oxidation and enzymatic activity and leads to browning, loss of vitamins and
the development of off-flavors.
 Dried organic products are particularly vulnerable to deterioration since chemical treatment with the normal
conservation agent (SOs) is not allowed.
 Water content. Dry fruit products have a water content of 8-12% (in general) and dry vegetables, around 7%. Under
these conditions, there are no microbiological problems during storage of the product. Semi-dried or soft products,
which may be more highly priced in the market. Have a water-content between 20 and 30%; therefore microorganisms
can develop during storage and refrigeration may be required.
 Additives and processing aids.
Permitted processing aids which help to retain quality of dried produce include:
- Conservation agents and anti-oxidants: ascorbic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, and salt;
- Texturing agents: calcium chloride.
 Ascorbic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid or lemon juice may be used for acidification. The resulting low pH limits the
development of micro-organisms and limits non-enzymatic browning. The product is treated by dipping, in, or spraying
with, acids or lemon juice. Salt can be used as a breakfast item in the Japanese market.

BLANCHING
 A brief period at high temperatures destroys most micro-organisms present in the product; and inactivates enzymes
which promote and degradation. Details of time, temperature, and isolation vary according to the produce being
treated; some examples are listed in Table 4.

Table 4. Recommendations for blanching fruits and vegetables.

Fruit Process
Banana Boiling water for 5 min
Mango, Banana Hot water (56o) for 1 min
Pineapple Steam for 10 min
Cabbage Boiling water for 3 min or steam for 5 min.
Carrot Boiling water for 4-6 min.
Sweet potato Boiling water 5 min or steam for 8 min
Turnip Boiling water for 4-6 min

RAPID DRYING
 Sun drying is the processing method most often used for organic fruits such as apricots and bananas. However, the
potential risk to quality and the difficulty of maintaining a high degree of sanitation is a problem. A rapid drying process
also decreases the contact time between the product and oxygen. The drying conditions and recommended moisture
content of the finished product are provided in table 5.
Fruit or vegetable Drying Temperature (oC) Moisture content of the Expected storage life
finished product (%) (month)
Banana 55 12 6
Mango 55 14 6
Papaya 55 7-12 5
Onion 50-55 5 3-12
Tomato 55 6 6
Carrot 50-55 6 6-12
French beans 55 6 6

WATER/ AIR TIGHT PACKAGING

 The type of packaging to be used for dried organic foods varies with expected storage conditions. The most common
types are flexible packages with low permeability to oxygen and water vapor, and vacuum-packaging is common.
CVAGonzales, 2020
 University of Antique- Hamtic Campus
Guintas, Hamtic, Antique

PASTEURIZATION AFTER PACKAGING

Certain processors pasteurize their products at 70oC after packaging to destroy microorganisms that could have contaminated
the product after blanching. This treatment applies to soft fruits: apricots and plums

HEAT CONSERVATION
 These techniques use thermal treatments to conserve processed products by destroying or inactivating enzymes, and
killing microorganisms. The products concerned are juices (principally from fruit) canned products (fruits and
vegetables) and jams and purees.

Juice or oil extraction

 Juice is a simple and natural way to process fresh produce. It allows the preservation of the majority of nutritional
qualities (vitamins and minerals), and it largely resolves the problem of storage. Juice could be considered as the ideal
product for the organic market.
 The juices that are consumed in largest quantity (traditional and organic data, combined) are apple juice, citrus juices,
pineapple juice and vegetable juice.
 In addition, tropical fruits often offer a much higher source of vitamin C than fruits from temperate zones. This
additional nutritional aspect is an advantage for tropical organic juices. It is preferable to opt for transport of juice in
suitable bulk packages such as kegs to diminish transportation costs. The juice can be repacked in the country where it
will be consumed.
 However, to ensure juice stability during handling, it is necessary to use high-temperature pasteurization. These can
alter the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the juice.
 Three factors are responsible for the successful long-term storage of juices:
- The acidity of the juice. The pH must be less than 4.2 in order to stop the development of microorganisms; ascorbic
acid, citric acid or lemon juice can be added;
- Thermal treatment. A temperature which destroys microorganisms has to be used. Conditions depend on the
characteristics of the final product: viscosity, packaging, type of juice,etc.
- The packaging. Juice packaging has to be impermeable to gas and sometimes to light, and has to avoid
microorganisms contamination.
- Certain juices, especially those which are high in pulp content, may need to be clarified. Enzymatic treatments are
authorized in Europe, but filtration and decantation methods can be used instead. There is a growing market for
organic oils, such as olive oil, which can be produced by simple physical methods from organic produce.
Canning
 Canned produce must be prepared in such a way as to retain closely as possible the characteristics of fresh produce.
The market for canned products is restricted since consumer opinion relates canned products to products that are not
wholesome, or are poor quality.
- Authorized additives and processing aids include:
- Anti-oxidants such as ascorbic acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid.
- Texture aids (calcium chloride)
 Canning organic fruits and vegetables does not require any specific adjustments that are not already found in
conventional canning methods. Fruits are usually canned in sugar syrup. This syrup is defined for natural products with
syrup (over 20% sugar).
Conservation with sugar
 The goal of this processing technique is to arrive at a sugar content where the product is stable. This method is
principally used for fruit. Durability in storage is determined by acidity; sugar content; and the type of packaging. There
is a large variety of products: jams, jellies, syrups and fruit pastes. Importing countries may impose standards and
definitions for these products, specifying the minimum quantity of fruits or fruit juice that may be used, as well as the
optional ingredients.
 Conservation with sugar does not require any particular modifications for organic farming; although where possible
organic sugar sources will be preferred. The process consists of mixing sugar (or sugar syrup) with pulp of fruits (or fruit
juice). The mixtures is cooked to remove excess water. Pectin solution is added.
 The ingredients and processing required for these products are:
- Preserving agents such as lactic acid, citric acid, calcium citrate, tartaric acid, sodium and potassium tatrate;
- Thickening and gelling agents such as pectin.
- Processing aids such as calcium chloride, coatings, and calcium carbonate.
Conservation by fermentation
 Fermentation is a chemical change brought about by enzymes, bacteria or microorganisms. The chemical changes are
acidification, oxidation of nitrogenous organic compounds and decomposition of sugars and starches (alcoholic
CVAGonzales, 2020
 University of Antique- Hamtic Campus
Guintas, Hamtic, Antique
fermentation). These last fermentation options result in wines and other alcoholic beverages. Organic processing
methods for alcoholic beverages are not addressed here.
 There are many other important fermentation process and products. They principally concern vegetables: pickled
vegetables, fermented soya, and fermented roots or tuber (Cassava and yam)
 Fermentation is achieved by:
- Salt with water;
- Brine: salted solution, sometimes with vinegar;
- The inoculation of specific microbes;
- Water (cassava)
 Preparation of microorganisms and enzymes commonly used in food processing may be used, with the exception of
genetically engineered microorganisms and their products.
 Microorganisms grown on organic cultures should be used if available.

Pickles
 The cucumber is one of the most important vegetables used for pickles. Sometimes vegetables undergo a preliminary
fermentation with salt. They are soaked in several changes of cold water until practically free of salt, followed by many
hours in hot water (45oC-65oC)( not used for fragile vegetables like cauliflower). Calcium chloride has hardening effect
and can be added. Afterward, vegetables are placed in vinegar. Pickles are put into heavily lacquered cans with brine or
vinegar). The cans undergo thermal treatments and are sealed

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONSIDERATION

 It must be recognized that the organic market is a small proportion of the total market for food. It may provide niche
market opportunities for producers in developing countries but the scale of the entry hurdle into the marketplace
should not be underestimated.
 Successful exporters have identified specific market opportunities and identified all the demands of that market.
 Government support may be required to facilitate organic exports

IV. Post-Test

A. Essay
1. Create and explain packinghouse operation of:
a. Exported bananas
b. Mangoes for export
c. Pomelos for long distance transport
d. Onions
e. Cabbages to be transported from San Remegio, Antique to San Jose, Antique

Reference:

Sharon Pastor Simson, Martha C. Straus. Management of Horticultural Crops. Oxford Book Company, Jaipur India
Arcelia M. Alfonso-Alejar. Fundamentals of Plant Physiology. Plant physiology Society of the Philippines, Foundation for
Development and Communication

Prepared by

CHRISTINE VIOLA A. GONZALES

Course Instructor

CVAGonzales, 2020