Post Harvest Technology and Value Addition in Fruits

Abstract

Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad - 500 059 Dryland Horticulture and Agri-Horticultural systems as an alternate land use system have gained much importance in recent years, as the fruit crops are highly remunerative for replacing subsistence farming and thus alleviate poverty level in rainfed, dryland, hilly and arid ecosystems. These crops have potential for development of wastelands through planned strategies, need comparatively less water than food crops, provide higher employment opportunity and environment-friendly. Fruits are undoubtedly very important for nutrition security with high potential of value addition and foreign exchange earnings. Tropical fruits are now considered as an important item of commerce as they have gained enormous market potential. Post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables are more serious in developing countries than those in well-developed countries. The total losses from harvest to the consumer point are as high as 30-40%, which is worth thousands of crores of rupees. About 10-15% of fresh fruits and vegetables shrivel and stale, lowering their ;market value and consumer acceptability. Minimizing these losses can increase their supply. It will also keep pollution under control. Improper handling and storage cause physical damages due to tissue breakdown. Mechanical losses include bruising, cracking cuts, microbial spoilage by fungi and bacteria, whereas physiological losses include transpiration, pigments, organic acids and flavour. About 30% of fruit decay due to Pnricillium species. Tropical fruits, which are at present under-utilized have an important role to play in satisfying the demand for nutritious, delicately flavoured and attractive natural foods of high therapeutic value. They are in general are accepted as being rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre and therefore are an essential ingredient of a healthy diet (Table). Apart from nutritive, therapeutic and medicinal values quite a few of these tropical fruits have excellent flavour and very attractive colour. Fruits like jamun and phalsa are highly perishable. Bael fruit is not an easy to eat out of hand item. Many people because of its strong astringent taste do not like fresh Aonla fruit. However, these fruits have unlimited potential in the processed form and consumers all over world can get opportunity to enjoy the fruits in the form of their processed products.