Postharvest Handling of Fruits and Vegetables

ATTRA // POSTHARVEST HANDLING OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES Page 1111 By Janet Bachmann and Richard Earles NCAT Agriculture Specialists August 2000 IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction You have spent months working in the fields, and now have a... More

ATTRA // POSTHARVEST HANDLING OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES Page 1111 By Janet Bachmann and Richard Earles NCAT Agriculture Specialists August 2000 IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction You have spent months working in the fields, and now have a bountiful harvest of beautiful fruits and vegetables. You want to ensure that your customers will also enjoy this healthy harvest. How can you best maintain the quality and safety of your produce as it travels from the field to the table? How can produce be stored so that it does not need to be sold immediately? High-quality, disease-free produce with a good shelf life is a result of sound production practices, proper handling during harvest, and appropriate postharvest handling and storage. Production PracticesProduction PracticesProduction PracticesProduction Practices Production practices have a tremendous effect on the quality of fruits and vegetables at harvest and on postharvest quality and shelf life. To start with, it is well kn Less