Postharvest Factors that Influencing Composition and Quality of Fruits
Environment
Environmental: temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric composition.
Temperature management is the most import tool for extension of shelf life and maintenance of the quality of fresh fruit.
Relative humidity influences water loss, decay development, incidence of some physiological disorders and uniformity of fruit ripening.
Optimal relative humidity for storage of fruits is 85 to 90%. Finally, atmospheric composition (O2, CO2, and C2H2 in particular) can greatly affect respiration rate and storage life.
Handling method
Postharvest handling systems involve the channels though which harvested fruit reaches the processing facility or consumer. Handling methods should be chosen such that they maintain fruit quality and avoid delays.
Time period between harvesting and consumption
Delays between harvesting and cooling or processing may result in direct losses (due to water loss and decay) and indirect losses (decrease in flavor and nutritional quality).
Postharvest Factors that Influencing Composition and Quality of Fruits
