A lecture on Transport and Storage of Fruits and Vegetables

1. Lecture 5
TRANSPORT AND
STORAGE OF FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the learners are expected to:
1. characterize the ideal transport for fresh fruits and
vegetables;
2. explain how refrigerated storage can reduce
deterioration of fresh fruits and vegetables;
3. explain the importance of appropriate transport in the
marketing of produce; and
4. discuss the fruit and vegetable damages incurred during
transport;

3. LESSON OUTLINE
1. Characteristics of Ideal Transport for
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
2. Effect of Refrigerated Storage on
Deterioration of Fresh Fruits and
Vegetables
3. Importance of Appropriate Transport in
the Marketing of Produce
4. Damages Incurred by Fruits and
Vegetables during Transport

4. Presentation 3.2
• have well designed and adequately equipped
compartments.
• have slip resistant floors.
• are perfectly insulated.
• have adequate and well-positioned doors for loading and
unloading.
• allow effective distribution of cool air.
• allow monitoring and temperature control.
• proper air spaces between pallets and room walls to
ensure proper air circulation.
Cooling rooms and refrigerated vehicles :

5. Presentation 3.2

6. Presentation 3.2

7. Storage
7
 Temperature is the single most important
factor in maintaining quality after harvest.

 Refrigerated storage retards the following
elements of deterioration in perishable crops:
aging due to ripening, softening, and textural and
color changes;
undesirable metabolic changes and respiratory
heat production;
moisture loss resulting to wilting;
spoilage due to invasion by bacteria, fungi, and
yeasts;
undesirable growth, such as sprouting of potatoes

8. Objective of Fresh Fruit and
Vegetable Storage
• Minimize deterioration
• Extend the life span of the
fruit and vegetables
• Keep fruits and
vegetables in good
condition until they are
consumed

9. Fruits and Vegetables have living cells!
• Consume
– O2
– Substrates
• Evolve
– CO2
– Heat
– Ethylene
– Lose H2O through
epidermis
• Metabolically active
– Tissue softening
– Starch to sugars
– Sorbitol to fructose
– Organic acids decreasing
– Flavor volatiles increasing
– Color changes
Why is temperature very critical during
storage?

10. One of the most important functions of
refrigeration is to control the crop's respiration rate
The higher the storage temperature, the higher
the respiration rate will be
For refrigeration to be effective in postponing
deterioration, it is important that the temperature
in cold storage rooms be kept as constant as
possible.
Storage rooms should be well insulated and
adequately refrigerated, and should allow for air
circulation to prevent temperature variation

11. Recommended Storage
Temperatures
1-40
C (34-390
F) 5-90
C (41-480
F) >100
C (580
F)
Apple Avocado (Temperate) Avocado(Tropical)
Asparagus Zucchini Pumpkin
Broccoli Egg Plant Tomato
Grapes Cucumber Papaya
Lettuce Peppers Mango
Mushroom Potato Banana
Peach &Plum Sweet Potato
Berry fruits Pineapple11

12.  While temperature is the primary concern in the
storage of fruits and vegetables, relative humidity is
also important : directly influences water loss in
produce
 Most fruit and vegetable crops retain better
quality at high relative humidity (80 to 95%), but at
this humidity, disease growth is encouraged
Preventing Moisture Loss

13. Humidifier
13

14. STORAGE CRATES
14

16. Transportation
16

17.  Transportation is a big and often
the most important factor in the
marketing of fresh produce.
 Ideally, transport would take
produce from the grower directly to the
consumer
 Losses directly attributed to
transport conditions can be high
TRANSPORTATION

18. The goal of every person concerned
with transport should be that the
produce be kept in the best possible
condition during transport and that
the haulage of produce be quick and
efficient.
To this end, produce should be
properly packaged and properly
loaded on a suitable vehicle.

19. The damage and loss incurred during non-
refrigerated transport are caused primarily by
mechanical damage and by overheating
Mechanical damage
careless handling of packed produce during
loading and unloading;
vibration (shaking) of the vehicle, especially
on bad roads;
fast driving and poor condition of the vehicle;
poor stowage, which allows packages in
transit to sway; the stow may collapse
packages stacked too high; the movement of
produce within a package increases in relation
to its height in the stack

20. Over heating
This can occur not only from
external sources but also from
heat generated by the produce
within the package itself.
Overheating promotes natural
breakdown and decay, and
increases the rate of water loss
from produce.

21. The causes of overheating include:
the use of closed vehicles without
ventilation;
close-stow stacking patterns blocking
the movement of air between and
through packages, thus hindering the
dispersal of heat;
the lack of adequate ventilation of the
packages themselves;
exposure of the packages to the sun
while awaiting transport or while trucks
are queuing to unload at their
destination.

22. 22
Ensure vehicle and containers
are clean and sanitary
Fresh produce should not be transported
in vehicles that previously held animals
or harmful substances

23. Presentation 3.2

25. Presentation 3.2
Efficiency of the loading and unloading systems

26. Thank You!