Module content
There are 19 major topics in this module.
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Introduction to Postharvest Technology
• Definition and importance Post harvest losses of agricultural products
• Causes of losses • Quantitative, qualitative, nutritional and socio-economic losses • Loss assessment and methods for reducing losses Biological /physiological and environmental factors affecting shelf life • Pre -harvest factors affecting post harvest • Ethylene production • Compositional changes • Growth and development • Transpiration • Physiological breakdown due to freezing, chilling injury, heat injury, etc. • Physical damage • Pathological breakdown Environmental factors influencing Deterioration • Temperature • Relative Humidity • Atmospheric composition • Ethylene • Light Post harvest technology procedures
• Temperature management procedures • Control of Relative Humidity Supplements to temp. & humidity management • Curing of certain roots, bulbs and tuber crops • Cleaning followed by removal of excess surface moisture • Sorting to eliminate defects • Waxing and other surface coatings • Film wrapping • Heat treatment (hot water or air, vapor heat) • Treatment with post harvest fungicides • Sprout inhibitors • Special chemical treatments (scald inhibitors, calcium, growth regulators • Fumigation for insect control • Ethylene treatment (degreening, ripening) Maturation and Maturity Indices
• Definition • Indices of maturity • Characteristics of maturity index • Developing maturity indices • Estimating maturity Physical (Size, shape, surface characteristics, abscission, color, texture) Chemical changes(TSS, starch, sugar/acid ratio) Physiological changes Changing respiration and ethylene production Harvesting systems • Hand harvesting • Mechanical harvesting Preparation for fresh market
• Labor planning and training • Field containers • Transportation from field • Temperature protection • Cooling Methods of cooling Preparation for packing
• Sorting and grading (export grades/domestic grades), cleaning/washing, waxing, disease control). • Purpose of packaging • Hand packing • Mechanical packs Storage systems • Storage considerations Temperature Humidity • Grain storage and storage structures • Survey on post harvest loss assessment of grains • Grain processing- threshing, drying, hulling, milling and expelling Mechanical Refrigeration (fruits and vegetables) Alternative refrigeration (fruits and vegetables) • Evaporative cooling • Nighttime cooling • High altitude cooling • Underground storage Post harvest pests & diseases of selected commodities
• Disease symptoms and control measures Food processing background • Definition and importance of food processing • Need for food processing • Importance of food processing for rural development Food preservation principles and processes and fruit and vegetable products
• Processing equipments and machinery • Manufacturing processes • Blanching (water and steam) • Preservation by heat (canning) • Preservation by refrigeration and freezing • Preservation by bottling • Pickling • Preservation by removal of water (drying, freeze drying, concentration etc) • Preservation by fermentation • Preservation by addition of chemicals (syrup, salting etc) • Deep frying technology • Vegetable and fruit juice production • Crystallization and candying Basic microbiological and other types of hazards • Bacteria • Moulds and yeasts • Foreign matter • Metals • Glass • Stones and other solids • Chemicals and tainting Food packaging
• Introduction • Packaging materials and their properties Glass Paper and paper based Metal Plastics Laminates and metalized films Packaging specifications, packaging systems and equipments Quality assurance and Control Operations • Introduction • Philosophy of control and assurance • Quality Aspects of the manufacturing Sequence (Raw material, preparation of raw materials, blending, mixing, processing, cross-contamination, packaging, labeling, storage and distribution) • HACCP as a quality control tool • Legislative consideration (Bhutanese Food Laws) • Hygiene (personal hygiene, factory structure, food machinery, etc) Food factory design and operations
• Introduction • Factory design and construction • Design principles and infrastructure |
Readings & Additional Readings |
1. Chakraverty A., 1997. Post Harvest Technology of Cereals, Pulses and Oilseeds. New Delhi: Oxford and IBH Publishing Co.
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