Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Waste at the consumer level exists for several potential reasons. First, many
times fruits and vegetables are packaged in formats that are too large (Gunders
2012 ) for smaller families, single persons or couples with no children at home. This
can lead to leftover produce that sits in the refrigerator after a first use. Secondly,
while many households purchase nutritious fruits and vegetables with good inten-
tions and the interest in their healthfulness, quite often in the rush of a busy life,
convenience food, takeout food and meals out lead to the non-use of the purchased
produce (Anon 2011 ; Gunders 2012 ; Parfitt et al. 2010 ). This behavior is thought to
be linked with the obesity crisis in the developed world economies since many of
the options have higher calories and are more energy dense than the fruits and veg-
etables that go uneaten (Drewnowski and Darmon 2005 ). Third, many consumers
do not have sufficient understanding of the correct storage conditions for fresh fruits
and vegetable or for managing their refrigerator to ensure proper storage conditions
(Anon 2011 ; Gunders 2012 ).
Research Needs
Many of the issues related to produce losses in marketing and distribution can be
resolved with improved education of produce handlers in the chain. Value chain
systems are beginning to emerge which may help to spur on improvements in cold
chain handling (Gooch et al. 2010 ). A value chain model involves ownership of
responsibilities and valuation of partners in the distribution chain with the desired
outcome that all partners benefit from the relationship and maximum returns ac-
crue for each member (Gooch et al. 2010 ). While there is some evidence that value
chain systems can result in improvements in marketing and distribution, there is a
need to document issues facing the current status quo and research to demonstrate
the benefits of a value chain approach to the enhancing retail quality and reducing
shrinkage of perishable fruits and vegetables.
While packaging has been an area of research for some time (Toivonen et al.
2009 ), more research is required to adapt packaging to ever increasing demands
for new package formats, produce combinations and enhanced convenience to the
consumer and also to enhance flavor quality (Kader 2009 ). Packaging is essential
to continue in development of a convenience factor for the consumer and reduce
the losses occurring in the distribution chain. The convenience of a food for con-
sumption will continue to become more of an issue as cities grow and the pace of
lifestyle increases and hence the need to adapt fresh fruits and vegetables more and
more to a convenience format (Pollack 2011 ). The variety of products available to
the consumer in a single package is increasing in a highly competitive sector: new
product introductions are important and issues around product compatibility must
be resolved in the package system design (Fig. 13.3 ).
Technology has been developed to also cue customers to the edibility or ripeness
of fruit which do not normally show visual changes with ripening. A technology
to tell consumers the ripeness in green pear cultivars has provided retailers and
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