TITLE:
Handling Strategies and Facilities for Horticultural Crops
AUTHORS:
Chinenye Agnes Ariwaodo
KEYWORDS:
Postharvest, Pre-Harvest, Food-Safety, Control-Atmosphere, Ethylene-Production, Respiration
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.9 No.5,
May
16,
2022
ABSTRACT: Horticultural crops are high-value crops and of higher profit than staple food crops per unit of land. It also generates income since it can be used for several purposes to achieve zero hunger and food security. The major problem with fruits and vegetables is the short postharvest shelf life. They are highly delicate and are endangered to rapid quality loss after harvest. Using best postharvest handling practices or factors like optimum temperature, right ratio, right gases in storage, right sanitizers, etc. and best physical handling procedures to take care of the standard after harvest is extremely critical. There is inadequate information on handling strategies and facilities to improve their keeping quality. To establish a good management system for the postharvest quality of these produce, food farmers’ handlers and processors must follow standard strategies to ensure availability on off-seasons. This work achieved these objectives of providing information on strategies for reducing losses during postharvest handling of fruits and vegetables, factors to consider during their storage, artificial ripening of fruits and wrong use of calcium carbide and food storage structures and facilities. Until these factors are properly considered and managed, loss in quality is inevitable for farmers, handlers and food processors. Also, good knowledge of advances in technology in this area is going to be paramount in facing a future challenge in the food handling process.