Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Post-Harvest Management
Capsicum fruits are susceptible to sunscald if they remain in the open sun for a long time.
Field heat should also be removed from freshly harvested bell peppers as soon as possible.
Therefore it is recommended that freshly harvested capsicums should immediately be trans-
ported to pack houses for post-harvest processing.
Maturity In-
dices
Green Peppers: fruit size, firmness, color
Colored Peppers: minimum 50% coloration
Uniform shape, size and color typical of variety
Firmness
Freedom from defects such as cracks, decay, sunburn
Quality In-
dices
Peppers should be cooled as soon as possible to reduce water loss. Peppers
stored above 7.5°C (45°F) suffer more water loss and shrivel. Storage at
7.5°C (45°F) is best for maximum shelf-life (3-5 weeks); peppers can be
stored at 5°C (41°F) for 2 weeks, and although this reduces water loss,
chilling injury will begin to appear after that period. Symptoms of chilling
injury include pitting, decay, discoloration of the seed cavity, softening
without water loss. Ripe or colored peppers are less chilling sensitive than
green peppers.
Optimum
Temperature
Optimum
Relative Hu-
midity
> 95%; firmness of peppers is directly related to water loss
Rates
of
Bell peppers are nonclimacteric in behavior and produce very low levels of
ethylene: 0.1-0.2 µl/kg•hr at 10°-20°C (50°-68°F).
Ethylene
Production
Responses to
Ethylene
Bell Peppers respond very little to ethylene; to accelerate ripening or color
change, holding partially colored peppers at warm temperatures of 20-25°C
(68-77°F) with high humidity (>95%) is most effective.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search