THE INFLUENCE OF AFTER HARVEST TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT ON FRESH BEANS QUALITY

摘要

This work was designed to analyze the influence of after harvest temperature management on fresh beans waste and losses during the process of pods selection for export to identify the possible causes of low quality beans, also to establish a basic quality improvement system. At 1999/00-harvest season, pods temperature was monitored all the way up from the field after harvest till beans were packed and ready for export. Also random samples were taken at the field after harvest and then again from the same lot but upon arrival to the packinghouse during sorting and packing for export. The samples were examined for the different types of defects, which made it non-exportable according to quality standards adapted from EU and USA. Besides pods wilting which was obvious as a function to the time and temperature after harvesting, three main problems of non-exportable pods were also identified, related to correct harvesting.