4. Accumulation Prior to Packing - Postharvest

PRIMARY CONCEPT 4.1: Keep picked fruit cool and at high relative humidity

Critical Guidelines

4.1.1 Keep harvested fruit covered to protect it from dust and direct sunlight.

Dust on fruit during packing can lead to rejections due to dirtiness.

4.1.1 Supporting Documents

PRIMARY CONCEPT 4.2: Move picked fruit to the cooling facility with minimal temperature rise and skin damage

Critical Guidelines

4.2.1 Transport picked fruit with covered transport to the cooling facility as soon as possible, before packing. This helps maximise storage life and reduce moisture loss.

4.2.1 Supporting Documents

Best practice guidelines for harvesting and transporting stone fruit

PRIMARY CONCEPT 4.3: Remove field heat

Critical Guidelines

4.3.1 Ensure that field heat is removed as soon as possible after harvest.

4.3.1 Supporting Documents

4.3.2 Bins should be stacked in tunnels to ensure effective cooling throughout the fruit.

Use forced air at 15°C (or just above the packhouse dew point) to achieve this temperature throughout the bins within 3 hours after placing them in the cold room.
Forced air is not essential, provided that high-capacity fans are operating to circulate air over and through the bins.
Reduce air speed as soon as the target temperature has been reached.

4.3.2 Supporting Documents

Temperature-and-humidity-interactions-in-fruit-moisture-loss.pdf

4.3.3 Maintain relative humidity > 90% and measure it regularly. This is critical to control moisture loss to prevent shrivelling.