FRUIT AND VEGETABLES HARVEST AND POSTHARVEST

The study investigates the physiological, biochemical, and technological aspects of postharvest quality and preservation in fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on minimizing losses and improving shelf life. Postharvest losses of up to 40% are highlighted as a major issue, driven by metabolic activities such as respiration, ethylene biosynthesis, and transpiration. The research aims to assess the effectiveness of various preservation techniques—including refrigeration, modified atmospheres, edible coatings, and intelligent packaging—by exploring their impact on product quality, industrial processing yield, and market viability. The methodology includes experimental practices evaluating soluble solids content in grapes, tomatoes, oranges, and mangos using refractometry, as well as respiration assessment through pH-indicator color change. Additionally, the research employs near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometric analyses (PLSR and PCA models) to predict soluble solid content non-destructively. Key results demonstrate that soluble solids (°Brix) vary between fresh and processed samples and are critical indicators for determining optimal harvest time and industrial processing yield. Climacteric fruits showed higher respiration rates at room temperature, corroborated by faster bromothymol blue color changes. Moreover, the modified atmosphere coupled with refrigeration significantly extended shelf life in minimally processed vegetables, particularly cabbage, by reducing metabolic rates and dehydration. The study concludes that integrated postharvest technologies tailored to specific physiological traits and storage conditions are essential for ensuring quality, reducing waste, and increasing profitability. Furthermore, predictive models using continuous wavelength spectrometry and appropriate preprocessing techniques showed strong potential for industrial applications due to their robustness and scalability. The findings underscore the need for continued research to refine these technologies and address the complexities of fruit ripening and preservation across different cultivars and environmental contexts.