Quality management refers to maintaining quality throughout the logistical chain to the end consumer. With reference to stone fruit, shrivel due to moisture loss is the main postharvest defect and therefore the key research focus area. Managing shrivel in future…
TThe main internal quality defects receiving research attention are heat damage in plums and lenticel breakdown, superficial scald and internal browning in apples and pears. Research is aimed at understanding the underlying causative factors (both pre-and postharvest) and biochemistry of…
Non-chemical scald control and prevention of internal browning are major focuses of the evaluation of storage technologies and protocols. A major outcome of research on this theme is the development of protocols to prevent or reduce the incidence of disorders…
Logistics projects focus on the optimisation of shipping container space utilisation while packaging projects are aimed at reducing plastic packaging or finding alternatives to non-recyclable, single-use plastics without jeopardising fruit quality or the structural integrity of the packaging. The plastic…