Figs - Tropical and Subtropical Fruits: Postharvest Physiology, Processing and Packaging - page 454

figs before the abscission. Other important insect pests of
dried figs are the moths ( Plodia interpunctella and Cadra
cautella ) and the mite ( Carpoglyphus lactis ) (Erakay and
Ozar, 1979). In addition to the direct damage, insect pests
may reduce the nutritional value of figs (Saleh et al., 1987)
and aid in the distribution of Aspergillus spores, although
they are not necessary for the fungus penetration into the
fruit (Buchanan et al., 1975).
Methyl bromide (MBr) fumigation has been the main in-
strument to control pest development in dried figs (Erakay
and Ozar, 1979; Ural, 1997). However, this application is
being phased out in accordance with the Montreal Protocol
(UNIEP) (2006), due to its ozone-depleting effect. A range
of treatments are being investigated as possible substitutes
of MBr for pest control in the dried fig industry. In particu-
lar, these alternative fumigants have been tested: phosphine
(PH), released by the hydrolysis of magnesium phosphide
(Meyvaci et al., 2003b; Aksoy et al., 2008; Meyvaci et al.,
2009); sulfuryl fluoride (Meyvaci et al., 2009); propylene
oxide in combination with CO 2 (Zettler et al., 2003); CO 2
(Ferizli and Emekci, 2000; Emek¸i et al., 2003; Meyvaci
et al., 2003b, 2009); CAs comprising

The typical fig canning steps include: Clean → Wash

Blanch (at 150 ◦ -170 ◦ F for 2-8 min)
to remove waxy coating

→ Size grade →

→ Grade for fruit uniformity

→ Add hot syrup

(“Extra Heavy,” 26 ◦ -35 ◦ Brix; “Heavy,” 21 ◦ -26 ◦ Brix; and
“Light,” 16 ◦ -21 ◦ Brix) → Can closure → Heat process at
210 ◦ -214 ◦ F for 30-70 min, depending on the can size →
Cool to below 95 ◦ -105 ◦ F → Label (Downing, 1996).

Fill in cans → Dry exhaust →

Other fig products
Besides drying and canning, figs may be processed by
a range of other techniques such as freezing and can-
dying (Morton, 1987; Waskar et al., 2003). Additional
products manufactured from figs include pastes (Shar-
man et al., 1991), jams (Wang et al., 2003), molasses
(Hassan and El-Feitoh, 2003), dry sweet products such
as “Churchkhela,” “Tkbili Kveri” (Vibliani et al., 2009),
juice and low-alcoholic beverages (Vibliani et al., 2009),
and juice concentrate (Maftoonazad et al., 2009). Some
of these products (e.g., molasses, pastes, wine) are derived
from dried figs and may have the same mycotoxin problems
as those discussed earlier (see Moller and Nilsson, 1991;
Sharman et al., 1991).
There are several products manufactured from figs for a
variety of culinary applications such as wrapped fig served
with sauce, fig-cheese cake, figs stuffed with walnuts, gra-
tine fig with ice cream, fig cake, crepe with dried figs,
marmalade, parfait, other dessert products (TDF, 2010).

1% O 2 ; and 10-15%
CO 2 (Damarli et al., 1998; Navarro et al., 1998).
Another approach to pest control in dry figs includes
physical treatments such as freezing or heating (Ondo-
gan and Ural, 1994; Rahemi and Zare, 2002). The high-
temperature applications may include, among other meth-
ods, solar heating (Shorey et al., 1989) or microwave treat-
ment (Baysal et al., 1998). Biological control approaches
(i.e., using natural enemies of pest species) also have been
investigated in controlling pests in dried figs (Johnson et al.,
2000; Eliopoulos et al., 2003).

≤

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
Table 24.5 shows the nutritional profile of raw figs and its
processed products. The values shown here are for the fruit
grown and processed in the United States, and therefore
some differences can be anticipated in composition of fig
and fig products in other parts of the world owing to dif-
ferent climatic and soil conditions, agricultural practices,
postharvest handling and processing techniques, and so
on. Additionally, varietal differences can also contribute
to variations in the composition of raw and finished
products.
Figs are a nutritious fruit, rich in fiber, potassium, cal-
cium, and iron with higher levels than other common fruits
such as bananas, grapes, oranges, strawberries, and apples
(Chessa, 1997; Michailides, 2003). Additionally, figs are an
important source of vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants
(Solomon et al., 2006). Fig varieties with dark skin contain
higher levels of polyphenols, anthocyanins, and flavonoids
accompanied

Canned figs
Canning preservation represents a small portion of the total
fig production. In the United States, fig varieties 'Mission'
and 'Kadota' (California), 'Magnolia' (Texas), and 'Ce-
leste' (Louisiana) have been used to a varying degree for
canning purposes. Canned figs are covered by the “USDA
Standards for Grades” and “FDA Standard for Identity”
(Downing, 1996).
Figs should be picked carefully and at the right matu-
rity; too green fruit would not have characteristic flavor,
and overripe figs will break or disintegrate, thereby com-
promising the product integrity and appearance. To avoid
damage, the picked fruit should be transported to the can-
nery in small boxes instead of bulk containers. It is impor-
tant to avoid delays between fruit picking and the canning
operations (Downing, 1996). Figs should be size graded to
ensure uniformity of the finished product.

by higher antioxidant activity compared