Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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Figure 8.2. U.S. per capita consumption of bananas (1980-2009) (source: Adapted from USDA, 2011).
in respiration rate. During ripening, starch is converted to
sugars, the fruit softens, the skin color often changes from
green to yellow, chlorophyll is degraded, and a specific
flavor also develops (Marriott et al., 1981). After the respi-
ration rate peaks, it falls in a post climatic phase. Bananas
are usually harvested in the preclimacteric phase and at a
mature green stage (Mohapatra et al., 2010c).
The harvest stage of maturity depends on the market for
which the fruit is intended (Thompson and Burden, 1995).
Bananas harvested for export or for regional or local domes-
tic marketing will be harvested at different maturity stages
to avoid premature ripening; the shorter the estimated trans-
port time, the higher the maturity stage will be expected to
be for harvest.
(Mohapatra et al., 2010b). The banana shelf life could be
extended by applying inhibitors that limit respiration and/or
ethylene production or by using modified atmosphere pack-
aging (Arvanitoyannis and Mavromatis, 2009).
Among current technologies developed for the val-
orization of sorted bananas, some attempts were earlier
reported using culled fruits for the production of chips,
flakes, and powders in addition to usual animal feed
use (Zhang et al., 2005). When trying to improve the
utilization of unexpected cull green and ripe bananas,
additional postharvest technologies such as precooked
and vacuum-stored slices, frozen and intermediate banana
flours, pasteurized and acidified pulp/puree, clarified juices
and fructose syrups, fermented beverages, jams, and jellies,
are also reported (Garcia et al., 1985; Hernandez-Uribe
et al., 2008; Mohapatra et al., 2010c).
POSTHARVEST PHYSIOLOGY AND
STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES
Current storage and shipping practices
Soon after being harvested, commercial banana bunches
are usually sprayed or immersed into flowing water for dirt,
dust, and crown-latex removal, prior to being treated with
thiabendazol-bitertanol fungicide by aspersion to avoid
crown rot disease (Lassoudiere, 2007). Usually the hands
are removed from the stalk, and defective bananas are dis-
carded (Stover and Simmonds, 1987). Hands are precooled
in refrigerated containers into cardboards cartons with pad
and polybag in packing stations to avoid bruising and stored
at 13 -14 C and 90-95% relative humidity, prior to ripen-
ing at 14 -20 C using exogenous ethylene-nitrogen mix-
ture (Lassoudiere, 2007; Arvanitoyannis and Mavromatis,
Postharvest losses, causes, and remedies
Significant postharvest losses of bananas are reported in the
literature, often due to improper postharvest management
practices (Mohapatra et al., 2010b). According to Zhang
et al. (2005), one-fifth of all bananas harvested may become
culls. It may be due to sorting of bananas too small for
shipping or to the removal of damaged, injured, or spoiled
fruits that could induce microbial contamination of the full
bunch in the collection stations.
Moreover, it is also necessary to avoid accelerated ripen-
ing by managing its process and by ensuring optimal stor-
age and transport conditions to prolong fruit shelf life
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