Pre-Storage Treatments

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 Pre-Storage treatments

Introduction
Pre storage treatments are the treatments given to a commodity (fruits
and vegetables in present context) generally after harvesting to reduce
postharvest losses, enhance storage life and retain quality.

Some of the important pre storage treatments are :

Cleaning, Washing, Sorting, Grading,
Waxing, Packing, Pre cooling, Curing,
Desapping, Chemical treatments, Irradiation, Vapour heat treatment

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 Pre-Storage treatments

1. Cleaning
This is a treatment given to remove adhering dust, dirt, extraneous matter,
pathogenic load etc. from the surface of a commodity. Cleaning basically sanitizes
the produce and avoid entry of undesirable contents to enter the packaging and
storage line. Cleaning is a broader term and includes, dusting, washing etc.
Methods of cleaning
i. Dry method (Dusting etc.)
ii. Wet method (Washing)

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 Pre-Storage treatments

i. Dusting
This method is mainly used to remove the adhering soil, etc from commodity i.e.
potato, root vegetables, carrot, radish etc. Dusting helps to shed undesirable load
(weight) of the commodity and thus reduce transportation cost. It also removes
pathogenic microorganisms present in the soil from the surface of the vegetables.

ii. Washing
This method is used in most fruits and vegetables. Washing is done at the pack
house through automated washing system fitted with overhead sprayers and
smooth rotating brushes to clean and wash the fruits. Washing with clean water
mixed with a neutral detergent such as Teapol, Sandovit or Indtron at 0.1% (1 ml /
litre of water) is effective. The process of cleaning and washing will take 3-5
minutes. The temperature of water should be at room temperature (270C).

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 Pre-Storage treatments

2. Sorting and Grading

This may be done manually or by using a machine. Fruits are graded

on the basis of their colour, size and weight and sorted for freeness
from damage/ diseases. At the sorting and grading table, trained
workers wearing gloves sort out the oversized and undersized fruits,
immature/scarred/blemished fruits, diseased/insect damaged fruits
and as well as fruits with sap injury (in mango) under the supervision
of quality supervisor. The segregated fruits in the grader machine
kept in plastic crates are removed at the end each working shift from
the process area and are distinctly labeled for disposal.

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 Pre-Storage treatments

Difference between Sorting and Grading

Sorting
1. Undesirable type of fruits i.e. diseased,
damaged, deformed are removed
2. Done primarily to reduce spread of
infection to other fruits
Grading
1. Fruits and vegetables are categorized
according to difference in their weight,
size, colour, maturity etc.
2. Done to fetch better price in the
market.

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 Pre-Storage treatments

3. Waxing / Coating
It is the process of applying wax on the surface of commodity by spraying, dip or
immersion, brushing, fogging or foaming. Some fruits develop natural fruit wax on
their surface at the time of maturity. i.e. plum, apple, citrus, grapes etc. This has its
role in reducing water loss fro the commodity and thus reducing shriveling and
weight loss. While handling care is taken to touch the fruits as minimum as
possible to retain as much of the natural wax (also called bloom) on the fruit.

Types of waxes: Paraffin wax, carnauba wax, bee wax etc

Examples of some commercial formulations:

Tal-Prolong, Semper Fresh for apple, Frutox, Waxol, Nipro fruit wax for apple,
and citrus, Ban seel for banana, Nu-coat flo for citrus, Brilloshine L for apples,
avocado, melons

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 Pre-Storage treatments

Advantages of waxing:
Improve appearance of fruit
Reduce moisture loss by 30-50% and retards wilting/ shriveling
Heals minor injuries
Protects fruits from minor infections
Provides modified atmosphere and increase shelf life
Acts a carrier for various chemicals etc

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 Pre-Storage treatments

4. Pre-cooling
It is the prompt cooling of the commodity immediately after harvest (generally
within 24 hrs of harvest), to its safe storage temperature , which aims at removal
of field heat.

Rate of cooling depends on

Initial product temperature
Rate of flow of cooling media around the commodity
Temperature difference between produce and cooling media
Thermal conductivity of produce

There are different cooling methods followed for different commodities. Some
fungicides may be mixed in water during hydro-cooling to reduce decay incidence
Weight loss during forced air cooling can be reduced by maintaining high (95%)
relative humidity in the pre-cooling chamber

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 Pre-Storage treatments

5. Chemical treatment
Various chemicals are applied to fruits and vegetables in order to control
postharvest diseases and pest infestations.

Methods of application of chemicals

i. Dipping: The commodity is immersed in water containing appropriate
concentration of chemical which is toxic to the pathogen. However, the
concentration of chemical should not be toxic to the fruit/ vegetable and
should not endanger public health. For improving the efficacy of the dip
treatment and better surface coating some wetting agents may also be added.
The effectiveness of the fungicidal solution may also be enhanced by hearting
the water in which the fruit is being dipped. 500 ppm of benomyl in water at
50-55 min, for 2 to 15 min is effective for controlling anthracnose in mango
without damaging the fruit.

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 Pre-Storage treatments

Methods of application of chemicals (-cont-)

ii. Cascade application: Commodity is passed below a shower of shower of
diluted chemical.
iii. Electrostatic sprays: Applying the chemical as a spray but producing very fine
particles and then charging them in an electrostatic sprayer so that they
readily stick to the commodity underneath them. The fine droplets of chemical
solution have same charge and thus they repel each other and are attracted
towards earth during field sprays.
iv. Dusting: Active chemical is diluted with an inert powder i.e. talc for uniform
application and reduced wastage.
v. Fumigation: Sulphur dioxide fumes are sued for controlling postharvest
diseases in grapes.
vi. Chemical pads: Paper pads impregnated chemical are used for wrapping the
fruits and vegetables and control postharvest diseases.

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 Pre-Storage treatments

6. Curing
It is technique where the commodity is left in the field itself in a heap
under shade for few days. It is an effective operation to reduce water loss during
storage from hardy vegetables viz., onion, garlic, sweet potato etc. In case of onion
curing is a drying process intended to dry off the necks and 2-3 outer scales of the
bulbs to prevent the loss of moisture and the attack by decay during storage. The
outermost layer, which may be contaminated with soil, usually falls away easily on
curing. The dry under-layer should have an attractive appearance. Onions are cured
generally when they have lost 3 to 5% of their weight. Generally, are dried in the
field by stacking in a warm, covered area with good ventilation. However, in cool
and moist climates, onions are cured with artificial heat blown through a duct at
30oC. Onions can also be cured by tying the tops of the bulbs in bunches and
hanging them on a horizontal support of pole, wire etc. pole in a well-ventilated
and shaded place. Curing in shade improves bulb colour.

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 Pre-Storage treatments

The essential conditions during curing are:

o Heat (~ 30oC)
o Good ventilation
o Low humidity

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 Pre-Storage treatments

7. Irradiation
Irradiation is a treatment given to various fruits and vegetables to
control different postharvest diseases and disorders. Fruits are exposed to
various doses of electromagnetic radiations for small durations (few sec to
few min.) of time under highly controlled conditions. The unit for
measuring radiation dose is Gy or rads. It is very effective treatment but in
many of the cases, the technology of irradiation finds a limited commercial
application due to the following reasons

a. either some cheaper and more effective alternatives are available

b. the irradiation treatment leaves undesirable effect on the produce and
cause abnormal ripening.

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 Pre-Storage treatments

Commercial applications of irradiation

Crop Control of Disease/disorder/pest Min. dose (kGy)
Apple Scald/ brown core 1.5
Apricot, peach, nectarine Brown rot 2
Banana Ripening inhibition 0.30-0.35
Lemon Penicillium rot 1.5 -2.0
Mushroom Inhibition of stem growth and cap opening 2
Orange Penicillium rot 2
Papaya Disinfestation of fruit fly 0.25
Pear Ripening inhibition 2.5
Potato Inhibition of sprouting 0.08-0.15
Strawberry, grape Grey mould 2
Tomato Alternaria rot 3

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 Pre-Storage treatments

8. Vapour heat treatment

This was developed to control infections of fruit flies in fruits. The
treatment consists of stacking the fruits in boxes in a room which is heated
and humidified by injection of steam. The temperature and exposure time
may be adjusted depending upon the stage at which the fly is to be killed
i.e. egg, larvae, pupa or adult. The most difficult stage to control by VHT is
larval stage as the insect goes further into the fruit and away from the
surface thus requiring high temperatures for short time. Generally the
treatment of citrus, papaya, mango or pineapples may be given at 43o C in
saturated air for 8 hrs followed by maintaining the temperature for further 6
hrs.

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 Pre-Storage treatments

8. Desapping
Desapping of mango fruits is carried out in processing area by
trained workers under the supervision of processing supervisor. Desapping
is done by holding the mango fruits upside down while cutting the stalk of
fruits. The stalks of mango fruits are cut very carefully to 0.5 to 1.0 cm by
trained workers by using a scissor with sharp long nose to avoid causing
skin injury.

For exports, the pedicel of the fruits is cut approximately at a

length of 1 cm from the fruit with the help of sharp scissors and fruits are
kept up side down in special knitted pallets, for two hours so that the latex
flows out from the fruit completely. Care should be taken that the latex
drop does not fall on the fruit.

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 Pre-Storage treatments

Let us sum up
Pre storage treatments are the treatments given to a commodity (fruits and vegetables
in present context) generally after harvesting to reduce postharvest losses, enhance
storage life and retain quality.
Cleaning removes adhering dust, dirt, extraneous matter, pathogenic load etc. from
the surface of a commodity. Dusting, washing etc. are methods of cleaning.
Fruits are graded on the basis of their colour, size and weight and sorted for freeness
from damage/ diseases. Waxing is the process of applying wax on the surface of
commodity by spraying, dip or immersion, brushing, fogging or foaming.
Pre-cooling is the prompt cooling of the commodity immediately after harvest
(generally within 24 hrs of harvest), to its safe storage temperature , which aims at
removal of field heat.
Chemicals are applied by spraying, dusting, dipping etc. for reducing disease incidence
during storage. Irradiation is application of radiation under controlled conditions. For
reducing incidence of disease or disorders.

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