International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation (11 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Postharvest pod storage and maturity effects on specialty cacao pulp quality  
  by Jeana Cadby, Tetsuya Araki 
  Abstract: Specialty cacao products typically demand higher quality standards in exchange for price premiums or other non-market benefits. Quality characteristics within the context of specialty cacao were investigated after common postharvest treatments, pod storage and fruit maturity. Disease damage, Brix, pH, pod weight, and seed with pulp weight were measured over three levels of cacao pod maturity (underripe, ripe, and overripe), under timed pod storage treatments. Pulp quality of fresh pods was compared to treated pods. Longer pod storage treatments incurred significantly more disease damage over time. Brix, pH, and pulp moisture are primary measurable factors in early fermentation stages and were found to be significantly affected by storage periods and ripeness. Significant changes in pod weight and seed with pulp weight were also observed with increasing storage treatments and ripeness treatments. Shorter storage treatments (fewer than two days) may improve overall quality for and access to specialty cacao markets.
  Keywords: bean and pulp quality; cacao pod disease; pod resting; cacao fruit ripeness; pod maturity; Theobroma cacao.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2021.10041617
   
  
• Assessing the effect of access on the use of improved seed cleaning technologies; challenges and opportunities among farmers in the Kamuli district-Uganda  
  by Peter Tumutegyereize, Isaac Oluk, Julia Kigozi, Ismael Mayanja, Thomas Buyinza, Moureen Mbeiza 
  Abstract: There is a lag in postharvest technology interventions addressing grain cleaning in developing countries. It is uncertain whether it is attributed to technology access or not. This work assessed the effect of access on the use of improved cleaning technologies for seeds as well as challenges and opportunities to access and uses the technologies. Pre-set questionnaires were administered to 200 farmers. The responses by these farmers indicated that access to improved seed cleaning technologies is the major impediment to change from slow, labour-intensive, and less healthy traditional methods. Then five seed cleaners were strategically located in the regions. Farmers with 200 kg of grain and above were prepared to carry their food produce over distances of 3 km-4 km to access the cleaners. No farmer with less than 200 kg travelled more than 1 km with their grain for cleaning. Capitalising on this maximum distance, farmers can access and use technologies expensive for them to own to improve timely cleaning and dust exposure reduction.
  Keywords: postharvest; technology; grain cleaning; seed cleaners; acceptance; access; intermediated-technology; developing countries; Uganda.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2021.10042005
   
  
• Effects of moisture content on some physical attributes of the seeds of three accessions of winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus L.)  
  by Kazeem Olaniyi Oriola, Jelili Babatunde Hussein, Moruf Olanrewaju Oke, Rukayat Dupeola Isiaka 
  Abstract: Some physical properties of winged bean seed, Entry II TPT 30, Entry 4 TPT 6, and Entry 12 TPT 32 accessions, were investigated at five different moisture contents (5% to 25% wet basis) using standard methods. Among the accessions, Entry 12 TPT 32 had the highest values of length (8.43 mm-9.64 mm), width (8.27 mm-8.71 mm), thickness (7.16 mm-7.51 mm), arithmetic-mean diameter (7.95 mm-8.62 mm), geometric-mean diameter (7.38 mm-8.57 mm), sphericity (0.88-0.89), surface area (179.35 mm2-211.92 mm2), and volume (230.70 mm3-286.44 mm3). The Entry 4 TPT 6 had the highest thousand-mass (0.28 kg0.48 kg) and porosity (25.20%-45.27%), while Entry II TPT 30 had the highest percentage bulk density (1.02 kg/m3-0.60 kg/m3) decrease. A nonlinear decrease was obtained for the true density of Entry II TPT 30, whereas a nonlinear increase was obtained for the Entry 4 TPT 6 and Entry 12 TPT 32 accessions. Regression equations that established adequate relationships between physical properties and seed moisture were obtained.
  Keywords: geometric properties; gravimetric properties; winged bean seed accessions; moisture contents; handling processing; sphericity.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2021.10042162
   
  
• Postharvest Quality of Two Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Cultivars as Influenced by Storage in Ambient and Evaporative Cooling Conditions  
  by Christianne Loi Ledesma, Leizel Secretaria, Emma Ruth Bayogan 
  Abstract: Evaporative cooling is an alternative option for a cheaper technology that can benefit small-scale farmers. The effect of evaporative cooling conditions on the postharvest quality of two eggplant cultivars was compared with ambient conditions. Newly harvested Banate King and Se
  Keywords: ‘Banate King’; ‘Señorita’; evaporative cooler; postharvest quality.
  
  

Special Issue on: Global Food Security Interdisciplinary Approaches to Improving Fresh Produce Supply Chains

• Alternaria in apples: the hidden menace  
  by María Agustina Pavicich, Andrea Patriarca 
  Abstract: Alternaria species are responsible for several apple diseases in pre- and postharvest stages. Particularly, mouldy core is of economic relevance due to the significant losses it implies to the productive sector. Even though the infection can begin in the orchard, several postharvest practices favour the spreading of the disease in terms of severity and frequency of incidence. Cold storage for extended periods has been shown to enhance the infection. The main species associated with mouldy core are similar in different world regions, all showing a high capacity of synthesizing secondary metabolites, many of which are mycotoxins or compounds of suspected toxicity. Hence, their presence in the apple core represents a threat when the fruit is destined to process. Since visual inspection remains the preferred strategy to prevent the incorporation of mouldy fruit to the process line, the risk of Alternaria toxins in apple concentrate and other by-products cannot be disregarded.
  Keywords: Alternaria; apple; mouldy core; core rot; fruit spot; preharvest; postharvest; mycotoxins; apple juice; apple concentrate; food processing; health risk.
  
  
• Incidence of mycobiota and aflatoxin B1 in Algerian feed  
  by Karima Bouti, Nouara Ait Mimoune, Salim Mokrane, Nadjette Djemouai, Carol Verheecke-Vaessen, Florence Mathieu, Amar Riba 
  Abstract: The presence of fungi and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in 101 animal feed samples randomly collected from different vendors and factories in Algeria was investigated. For fungi, the main genera isolated were Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. Furthermore, the 459 strains of Aspergillus section Flavi were screened for their ability to produce aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid. 49% of the strains produced AFB1 while 74.5% were cyclopiazonic acid producers (CPA). The highest incidence of aflatoxigenic strains was recorded in maize (61%) and ground poultry feed (60%). The presence of AFB1 in 101 feed samples was evaluated using HPLC-FLD. The obtained data showed that 36.6% of samples were contaminated in the range of 0.34 to 171.06 ?g/kg. Six samples exceeded the Algerian maximum limit of 20
  Keywords: Animal feed; Fungi; Aspergillus section Flavi; Algeria.
  
  
• Scaling-up urban agriculture for a healthy, sustainable and resilient food system: the postharvest benefits, challenges and key research gaps  
  by Sofia Kourmpetli, Natalia Falagán, Charlotte A. Hardman, Lingxuan Liu, Bethan Mead, Lael Walsh, Jess Davies 
  Abstract: Sustainably ensuring food security and safety for the urban population is a major challenge. In this perspective, we present the concept of rurbanisation (the ruralisation of urban areas through increased urban agriculture) as a holistic strategy to provide a resilient food system. In particular, we focus on the postharvest benefits of urban agriculture for environmentally sustainable food supply chains, enhanced nutritional content of fresh produce and access to fresh, local and seasonal food. However, upscaling current urban agricultural systems requires improvement in current technologies and local infrastructure as well as the transfer of knowledge and skills to new urban farmers. This perspective summarises the main challenges that urban agriculture is currently facing from a postharvest quality and safety point of view, and highlights the research gaps and opportunities for improvements in that area.
  Keywords: urban agriculture; health; sustainability; food system; resilience; postharvest benefits; rurbanisation.
  
  
• Viability of raisin production by natural drying methods  
  by David Nunes Morais, Acácio Figueiredo, Lucimar Gomes Rocha, Victor Oliveira Farias, Carlos Freitas Alencar, Eder Ignácio Souza 
  Abstract: The present work aimed to analyze the technical and economic viability of raisin production by natural drying methods, through an experiment conducted on a farm located in a semi-arid region using two systems: Sun Drying and Shade drying. By employing a costing system based on the use of surplus table grape production as raw material and using a farm's facilities, it was possible to determine quality attributes of the final product that meet current legislation (humidity below 25%), and drying parameters within the literature (drying time of 14 days for sun drying and 15 days for shade drying). Economic indices indicated the viability of the venture, with NPV equal to U$ 5,264.38, IRR equal to 208.88% and discounted Payback of 0.51 years for sun drying, and NPV equalS to U$ 4,363, 80, IRR equals to 153.93% and discounted Payback of 0.69 years for shade drying.
  Keywords: Investment analysis; Vitis vinifera; sun drying; semiarid.
  
  
• INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE POSTHARVEST LOSSES  
  by Maria Gil 
  Abstract: Postharvest research must enable us to translate fundamental knowledge into innovative and sustainable solutions to reduce postharvest losses. These include the genetic improvement by selecting cultivars with better flavour and texture and longer postharvest life, managing sensors to monitor and control the ripeness and optimal maturity for harvest and quality control, as well as the storage conditions. New packaging technologies using biodegradable and recycled materials have shown promising solutions from the environmental perspective and adequate as well for fresh produce. The innovative actions should also be combined with appropriate optimal temperature and relative humidity during storage, transport, and distribution to create all together with the desired conditions around the commodity to preserve freshness avoiding postharvest losses. To achieve all these goals, collaborative actions that integrate all the issues related to postharvest losses are needed from the agricultural production activities to processing, marketing, distribution, and consumers.
  Keywords: Fruit and vegetables; packaging; compostable materials; supply chain; consumer trends.
  
  
• The effect of wash water chlorine content on the pinking discolouration of fresh cut Iceberg lettuce.  
  by Lorraine Fisher, Deborah Rees 
  Abstract: Cut-edge pinking is a major quality problem for processed Iceberg lettuce. Minimal processors require a low-cost method to reduce pinking that can be readily incorporated into the processing line. The effect of a range of total chlorine concentrations in wash water; ?1 mg L-1 (tap water), 50 mg L-1, 100 mg L-1and 200 mg L-1, on the development of pinking over shelf life was examined. For product stored in air pinking was reduced with increasing chlorine concentrations up to 100 mg L-1. For lettuce exposed to atmospheres simulating those in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) pinking developed for initial oxygen concentrations of 6% and above but was reduced with increasing chlorine concentration over the full range tested (up to 200 mg L-1). These studies suggest management of chlorine wash is a practical approach to reduce pinking in processed lettuce while maintaining quality.
  Keywords: Chlorine; Pinking; Discolouration; Cut-edge; Lettuce;.
  
  
• Impact of ripeness stage and supply chain conditions on quality and bioactive properties of Ambrun  
  by Manuel Joaquín Serradilla, Mercedes Lozano, María Josefa Bernalte, María Concepción Ayuso, Margarita López-Corrales, David González-Gómez 
  Abstract: This research aims to assess the main quality parameters and bioactive compounds of Ambrun
  Keywords: sweet cherry; colour category; cold storage; storability; physicochemical parameters; phenolic acids; anthocyanins; flavan-3-ols; flavonols; total antioxidant activity.