Future directions in postharvest handling of horticultural crops

Transcription

1 Future directions in postharvest handling of horticultural crops Short Course Postharvest Biology and Technology of Horticultural Crops Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina October, 2011

2 Future directions in Production Harvest Handling Packaging Storage Transportation Marketing

3 What do farmers want?

4 What do customers want?

5 Nutritious food High in antioxidants, other phytonutrients Existing plant materials Genetically modified plant materials Nutrition life shorter than appearance life! Better understanding of the links among food, nutrition & health Overcome antinutritional toxins in food

6 Safe food Chemical residues Organic Residue testing Toxins (fumonisin, aflatoxin) Microbial safety GAPS Disinfection Hot water brushing Pre-blanching Real-time pathogen testing

7 Safe food Gloves Releasing ClO 2 Clamshells Protect ourselves from our neighbors

8 Tasty food Crisp tender vegetables, with good characteristic flavor Crisp or juicy fruit with high sugar, good acid balance Good aroma No off flavors

9 Tasty food NIR analysis Sugar determination Other taste components

10 Grow better varieties Tasty food Heirloom, high flavor cultivars Genetically modified cultivars

11 Harvest for taste The glove Tasty food

12 Tasty food Harvest fully mature Local production/farmers markets Just-in-time supply Less refrigeration

13 Tasty food Ripeness indicators on packages Flavor/taste indicators?

14 Tasty food New ripening technologies Molecular regulation of ripening Antisense ACC synthase Fruits ripened with ethylene on demand!

15 Utilization (million lbs) Value (million$) Quality is the Key Which do you buy? Strawberries Grapes Apples Peaches Apricots Source USDA NASS 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Strawberry Year 70 Apricots Year

16 Better packaging Blemish free food Hammock pack for transporting ripened products

17 Robotic sorting Color Defects Sugar content Flavor volatiles High quality food Cool sooner In-line cooling Cool before pack Field cooling

18 No/easy peel Pre-cut Convenient portions Convenient to eat small melons, large berries No seeds or tasty seeds Edible rinds or peels

19 Increased choice

20 Sustainability Economic Environmental Reduced, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and waste Social Worker/consumer health, safety, and quality of life

21 What do farmers want? Profit Profit = Market returns Costs Costs (inputs) Labor Water Land Fertilizer Postharvest costs Packaging

22 Labor a diminishing resource Agriculture is labor intensive, hard, itinerant and seasonal work ag counties are poor counties More attractive incomes and working conditions in other sectors of the economy Increased concern about immigration

23 Machine systems for growing, harvesting and packing

24 Hortibot

25 Robots could assist in production Scouts and warriors Insects Diseases Fruit locations Maturity Freeze damage

26 Electronic sentries Chips in trees Monitor temperatures Water potential Nitrogen status Defense signals

27 Marketing Transport costs Increased local production CSA s, Farmers markets, Shift from air and to rail/marine Marketing system Concentration of wholesale and resale outlets Leapfrog for the developing world What about marketing of home produce Electronic gardeners exchange

28 Underground freight systems Urban, Interurban, intercontinental? Pneumatic Maglev

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30 Airships? Efficiency? Solar?

31 What will perishables marketing look like in 10 years?

32 So what will perishables marketing look like in 10 years? Service-oriented w/ high price produce Convenience stores Fast food stores Institutional facilities - fresh fruit in school vending machines Entertainment-oriented w/ high price produce Farmers markets Specialty produce store Grocery store as theater Volume sales of low-price produce Wal-Mart model Club stores (Costco)

33 So what will perishables marketing look like in 10 years? Webmarkets Convenience, 24 hour shopping Personal relationship and quality produce will drive CSA-like Refrigerated slot in the home

34 Produce handling is information intensive Optimal handling Product Variety Production area Season Cultural practices Marketing chain New information technologies will transform quality management

35 Information technology for perishables Precision Temperature Management Store very close to freezing or chilling temperature Time/temperature indicators

36 Change time, Avery label (h) y = e x R 2 = Temperature (F)

37 IT for perishables Active RFID technology Temperature Humidity CO 2 & O 2

38 Temperature (F) % vaselife remaining Shelf life modeling IT for perishables Temperature % Vaselife Insert graph of flower life Time (hr)

39 Robotic harvest Chilling injury Cause, Solution Future research imperatives Just in time supply chain Effect of temperature on flavor Fresh cut fruits with flavor Application of molecular biology Controlled ripening Improved nutrition/flavor Internal quality analysis Online pathogen & quality monitoring Microbial kill process

40 Thanks for participating in the shortcourse!