PROCESSING AND

QUALITY CONTROL OF
ORGANIC PRODUCE

AKHILESH SINGH
A-2011-30-047
M.Sc. Vegetable Science

Major Areas of Concern

Water
Manure

and Municipal Biosolids

Worker

Health and Hygiene

Sanitary
Field

Facilities

Sanitation

Packing

Facility Sanitation

Transportation
Traceback

Optimal-quality organic produce that

achieves the desired textural properties,
sensory shelf life, and nutritional content
is the combined result of careful
implementation
of
recommended
production inputs and practices, careful
handling at harvest, and appropriate
postharvest handling and storage. The
effort to achieve an economic reward
through the marketing of organic
produce must begin well before harvest.

GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices must be

followed)

What are GAPs?

Irrigation

Employee Hygiene

Cooling

Good Agricultural
Practices (GAPs) are
sanitary procedures used
during crop production,
harvesting, packing and
shipping to prevent or
minimize produce
contamination with human
pathogens.

Important Considerations

Focus is only on microbial hazards

Focus is on risk reduction, not elimination

Based on broad scientific principles

Must keep up with new information and

technologies

Pest Control

Water Quality and Safety

Be aware of potential sources of pathogens from

your water sources

Maintain wells in good condition

Be aware of current & historical use of land

Consider practices to protect water quality

Consider irrigation water quality & use

Microbial testing of water

Water Testing
Flowing Water (rivers, streams)
4 times per year

Impounded Water (ponds, lakes)

3 times per year before season begins

Processing Water
Practices

that ensure & maintain quality

-sampling & micro. Testing

-develop SOPs for all processes using water
-clean/sanitize water contact surfaces
-install backflow devices & legal air gaps
-routinely inspect equipment used to maintain
Consider
Maintain
Use

quality

the water temperature for certain produce

efficacy of antimicrobials

appropriate wash methods

Contamination
from Manure

Application Timing

Proper Composting
Source of Manure
From Cornell GAPs program used with permission.

There are many

opportunities for
fresh produce to
be contaminated
by farm workers

Farm Worker
Hygiene

Field Sanitation

Clean harvest
containers and tools
daily.

Transportation Issues

Precooling, sanitation
and proper air delivery
are very important to
maintain the quality
and safety of produce.

Post Harvest Handling

As a general approach, the following

practices can help you maintain
quality:

1.

Harvest during the coolest time of day to

maintain low product respiration.
2. Avoid unnecessary wounding, bruising,
crushing, or damage from humans,
equipment, or harvest containers.
3. Shade the harvested product in the field to
keep it cool. By covering harvest bins or totes
with a reflective pad, you greatly reduce heat
gain from the sun, water loss, and premature
senescence.

 If

possible, move the harvested product into a

cold storage facility or postharvest cooling
treatment as soon as possible. For some
commodities, such as berries, tender greens,
and leafy herbs, one hour in the sun is too
long.
Do not compromise high quality product by
mingling it with damaged, decayed, or decayprone product in a bulk or packed unit.
Only use cleaned and, as necessary,
sanitized packing or transport containers.

Production Practices
Seed

selection and cultivar selection

Cultural practices
Environmental Conditions at fruit set

Wind
Frost
Rain

Management Practices

Irrigation to much or to little

High rates of nitrogen (improper soil nutrition)
Mechanical injury
Use only composted manure (60 120 days)
depending on certifying agency and crop

Harvest Handling
Quality

cannot be improved after harvest

Harvest at proper stage and size
During the coolest part of day
Keep in shade
Handle gently (moisture loss may be as much as 400% by
single blemish)

Post Harvest and Storage Consideration

Temperature
Packaging
Chilling injury
Preventing moisture loss
Sanitation
Ethylene
Mixed loads
Storage of crops

Temperature
Single Most Important Factor
Refrigeration

retards:

Aging
Undesirable metabolic changes
Moisture loss
Spoilage from bacteria, fungi and yeasts
Undesirable growth, i.e. sprouting

Pre-cooling
First

important step
To lowest safe temperature ASAP - critical for
crops with high respiration rates:

Broccoli
Asparagus
Green beans
Mushrooms
Sweet corn

Room Cooling
Not

as efficient as some
Good as a pre-cooling method
Need good air circulation around containers

Forced Air Cooling

Cooling

rate depends on air temperature and

rate of air flow
Generally 75-90% faster cooling
Note: to avoid over cooling and dehydration, do not operate
forced air fans after produce has been cooled to correct
temperature

Hydro-cooling
Very

efficient method of cooling (removes heat 5

times faster than air but less energy-efficient)

Can

serve as a means of cleaning

Reduces water loss
Chlorinate to reduce microorganisms
Not appropriate for: berries, potatoes, bulb onions,
others not suited to wetting

Top or Liquid Icing

Especially

effective on dense products and

palletized products difficult to cool
Works well on high respiration products:
sweet corn, broccoli
One pound of ice cools ~three pounds of
produce

Vacuum Cooling
Water

leaves crop and take heat with it

Produce sprayed with water first = Hydrovac
Cooling
Good for leafy vegetable which have a high
surface-to-volume ratio, i.e. greens

Chilling Injury
Some

vegetables best stored just above

freezing
Others best stored at 45F-55F
Both time and temperature involved
Effects of chilling injury are cumulative

Chilling Injury
Very

sensitive crops are:

Basil
Cucumber
Eggplants
Pumpkins
Summer squash
Okra
Sweet potatoes

Chilling Injury
Moderately

sensitive:

Snap beans
Cantaloupe
Peppers
Winter squash
Tomatoes
Watermelon

Preventing Moisture Loss

Important

in controlling moisture loss

Best range 80 -90% R. H.
Difficult for small producers
Sanitation becomes even more critical
Cool temperature important
Use a hygrometer to measure

Sanitation

Pathogens traced to fresh fruit and vegetables:

E. coli 0157:H7
Salmonella
Cryptosporidium
Hepatitis
Cyclospora
Chlorine is most often used
Caution organic growers, it is a restricted material
Ozone
Hydrogen peroxide

Ethylene
Natural

hormone produced by some fruits

Damaged fruit produces more
Do not store ethylene producers with fruits
and vegetables that are sensitive
Ethylene producers: apples, cantaloupes,
peaches, pears, plums, tomatoes

Mixed Loads
Combine

only products that

are compatible with respect to:
TEMPERATURE
Relative humidity
Oxygen and carbon dioxide
Protect from odors
Ethylene protection

CLEANERS, SANITIZERS, AND

DISINFECTANTS
Acetic

acid allowed as a cleanser or sanitizer. The

vinegar used as an ingredient must be from an organic
source.
Alcohol (ethyl) allowed as a disinfectant. Alcohol
must be from an organic source.
Alcohol (isopropyl) may be used as a disinfectant
under restricted conditions.
Ammonium sanitizers quaternary ammonium salts
are a general example in this category. Quaternary
ammonium may be used on non-food-contact surfaces

 Bleach

calcium hypochlorite, sodium

hypochlorite, and chlorine dioxide allowed as
sanitizers for water and food contact surfaces.
Detergents allowed as equipment cleaners.
This category also includes surfactants and
wetting agents.
Hydrogen peroxide allowed as a water and
surface disinfectant.
Peroxyacetic acid water disinfectant and
fruit and vegetable surface disinfectant

Summary
Quality

cannot be improved post

harvest

Food

Safety begins in the field

(GAPs)

Summary (continued)

High Quality and Good Shelf Life Depends On:

Sound production practices

Proper handling during harvest
Appropriate post harvest handling and storage
Key Factors
Temperature
Relative humidity

THANKYOU