Quality of Fresh ProduceQuality of Fresh Produce

Factors influencing qualityFactors influencing quality

There are many factors that have a There are many factors that have a direct and indirect quality over the direct and indirect quality over the quality of a product. Both preharvest quality of a product. Both preharvest and postharvest factors influence and postharvest factors influence quality but they also interact together quality but they also interact together to make quality evaluation of to make quality evaluation of horticultural products a complex horticultural products a complex process. This interaction is, in part, process. This interaction is, in part, responsible for the variability found in responsible for the variability found in fresh produce over time.fresh produce over time.

Pre-harvest FactorsPre-harvest Factors

Pre-harvest factors include :Pre-harvest factors include :

- genetic influence- genetic influence

- the prevailing climatic conditions - the prevailing climatic conditions during the production periodduring the production period

- cultural practices applied by the - cultural practices applied by the growergrower

- plant populations- plant populations

Climatic conditions during Climatic conditions during productionproduction

Hot, wet, dry or cold weather will Hot, wet, dry or cold weather will affect the growth of a crop. affect the growth of a crop.

In dry weather, with irrigation, In dry weather, with irrigation, fertilization and the implementation fertilization and the implementation of plant protection is often good.of plant protection is often good.

Hail and excessive wind will also Hail and excessive wind will also reduce a product's appearance, reduce a product's appearance, quality prior to harvest.quality prior to harvest.

Cultural practicesCultural practices

Agronomics practices such as Agronomics practices such as irrigation, fertilization and the irrigation, fertilization and the implementation of plant protection implementation of plant protection control strategies directly influence control strategies directly influence the inherent postharvest life of the the inherent postharvest life of the harvested products and its quality at harvested products and its quality at the time of harvest.the time of harvest.

Plants populationsPlants populations

To achieve optimum size in most To achieve optimum size in most products, the appropriate plant must products, the appropriate plant must be achieved in the field.be achieved in the field.

Generally, very high populations will Generally, very high populations will result in a lot of very small product result in a lot of very small product being produced.being produced.

Conversely, low plant populations will Conversely, low plant populations will encourage the development of fewer encourage the development of fewer large products.large products.

Post harvest FactorsPost harvest Factors

1.1. HarvestingHarvesting The time of day and method of The time of day and method of

harvesting will directly influence the harvesting will directly influence the quality of produce presented for sale.quality of produce presented for sale.

The best time to harvest product is The best time to harvest product is either in the early morning or late either in the early morning or late evening.evening.

Product should not be harvested in the Product should not be harvested in the middle of day, especially in the middle of day, especially in the summer.summer.

Water status and water content of the Water status and water content of the product is critical for these product lines product is critical for these product lines and will be at a maximum level in the and will be at a maximum level in the morning.morning.

The majority of horticultural products The majority of horticultural products are hand harvested. This has a certain are hand harvested. This has a certain advantages, with the one of the main advantages, with the one of the main ones being the reduction in physical or ones being the reduction in physical or mechanical injury sustained by the mechanical injury sustained by the product during harvesting.product during harvesting.

The other important quality-determining The other important quality-determining factor at harvest is the stage of maturity factor at harvest is the stage of maturity of the product. This is especially so for of the product. This is especially so for any fruit that has to undergo a ripening any fruit that has to undergo a ripening sequence after harvest.sequence after harvest.

2. Postharvest Treatments2. Postharvest Treatments After a product has been harvested, After a product has been harvested,

it has to go through a series of it has to go through a series of processes that ready it for market.processes that ready it for market.

Basically, a product will have to be Basically, a product will have to be evaluated for quality, treated if evaluated for quality, treated if necessary, then packaged for necessary, then packaged for distribution.distribution.

Perhaps the over-riding factor influencing Perhaps the over-riding factor influencing quality in all horticultural products is time.quality in all horticultural products is time.

As the quality of any product is at its peak As the quality of any product is at its peak at harvest, the longer the period between at harvest, the longer the period between harvest and consumption, the grater the harvest and consumption, the grater the loss in quality. loss in quality.

Therefore, the marketing of fresh Therefore, the marketing of fresh horticultural produce should be expedited horticultural produce should be expedited due to the rapid deterioration in the due to the rapid deterioration in the quality.quality.

Quality StandardsQuality Standards Quality standards are formulated to Quality standards are formulated to

describe product and ensure packaged describe product and ensure packaged product is labeled accurately. Quality product is labeled accurately. Quality standards must be unambiguous, realistic standards must be unambiguous, realistic and easy to apply.and easy to apply.

Parameters that are definable in a quality Parameters that are definable in a quality standard include :standard include : SizeSize ColorColor MaturityMaturity FirmnessFirmness Extent of blemishExtent of blemish uniformityuniformity