POSTHARVEST HANDLING OF PINEAPPLE

摘要

Tropical fruit consumption has increased during recent years. In Venezuela, pineapple production rose from 81 M kg in 1990 to 163 M kg in 1998. Of the total production, 81% was used for fresh consumption, 5% for processing, and only 0.2% for export (Instituto Nacional de Nutricion, 1998). The main problem confronting fruit producers is high postharvest losses, often exceeding 20% (Ciepe, 1985). During 1998, the postharvest losses of pineapple were estimated to be 14% (Instituto Nacional de Nutricion, 1998). Generally, handling and transport of the fruits cause physical damage such as surface injuries and bruising, which make fruit soft and prone to microbial attack (Corona, 1994). This investigation looks at the minimal processing technique required for pineapple.