Methodology

Pre-cooling is the first step of goodtemperature management of fruits and vegetables after harvest.

Development of modern storage structures has made possible long term storage of fresh fruits and vegetables. Storage helps in orderly marketing, controlling market glut and preservation of quality of horticultural produce for much longer time. Storage aims to control various physiological and biological processes and keep the produce in maximum usable form. Hence, pre-cooling plays an important role to prolong the storage life of fruits and vegetables by removing the field / respiratory heat and by reducing the metabolic activities.

Advantages of Pre-cooling

• Inhibition of the growth of decay causing organisms,
• Restriction of the enzyme activities,
• Reduction of water loss from the harvested produce,
• Reduction in rate of respiration and ethylene(C2H4) liberation, and
• Rapid wound healing.

Among the various methods of cooling, the best method for our farmers and packers is “Air Cooling”.

Horticultural produce is placed in a room and allowed to cool by cold air. Room is insulated and air is cooled by refrigeration unit. Its cost is relatively low. Here heat transfer takes place by conduction. All fruits and vegetables can be cooled.

Satej MAP Bags

The concept of ethylene gas absorption has been evaluated on the commercial scale. We are currently marketing Satej MAP Bags for packing horticulture produce.
Satej MAP bags are available in various sizes.

Farmers

During the winter months precooling may be done in well ventilated room. During summer months additional facility as mentioned above should be used.

In actual practice, after precooling, Satej Bags should be used in-house. Once precooling is done horticulture produce should be packed in the Satej Bags. Market glut is a common phenomenon and farmers can hold the horticulture produce for seven days in summer and 15 days in winter. Storing in cold storage would enhance the freshness further. These are general observations and in actual practice every horticulture produce will have different shelf life. We could enhance shelf life of broccoli for 15 days in cold storage.

Packers

The best results are obtained at refrigerated conditions. Once the bags come out of cold storage the horticulture produce should be emptied in crates or other final packing material. Release to the super markets in your packing as you are doing currently. In no case Satej bags should be stored at ambient condition after removing from cold storage. These bags can be used under refrigerated conditions only during transit.

Exporters

Satej MAP bag is a liner bag which should be kept in the corrugated box that is currently used. Precooling is an important step. Once it is done the horticulture produce should be packed in Satej Map Bags and bags should be sealed with nylon tie clips or rubber band. Bag in the box should be immediately transferred to cold storage for further transportation in refrigerated sea containers.