Produce Degradation Pathways and Prevention

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© 2005 by CRC Press

4

Mechanical Injury

of Fresh Produce

Olusola Lamikanra

Southern Regional Research Center, USDA-Agricultural Research

Service, New Orleans, LA

CONTENTS

4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 79
4.2 Wound Response ............................................................................................ 80
4.3 Tissue Damage ............................................................................................... 83
4.3.1 Wound Severity .................................................................................. 83
4.3.2 Mechanical Handling ......................................................................... 85
4.3.3 Fresh-Cut Produce.............................................................................. 86
4.5 Harvesting ...................................................................................................... 86
4.6 Storage............................................................................................................ 89
4.7 Detection ........................................................................................................ 91
4.8 Metabolic Changes......................................................................................... 92
4.8.1 Respiration ......................................................................................... 92
4.8.2 Ethylene.............................................................................................. 93
4.8.3 Phenolic Compounds ......................................................................... 94
4.9 Enzymatic Effects .......................................................................................... 95
4.10 Texture ............................................................................................................ 99
4.11 Temperature Effect ....................................................................................... 100
4.12 Summary ...................................................................................................... 103
References.............................................................................................................. 103

4.1 INTRODUCTION

The growing demand for higher-quality fresh fruit and vegetables has revealed a
worldwide problem concerning mechanical damage of products reaching the con-
sumer through the distribution chain. Harvesting, handling, postharvest treatments,
packaging, transport, and fruit distribution involve a large number of mechanical
operations that subject the produce to dynamic loads. Mechanical damage is one of
the most important factors that reduce produce quality. Loss due to bruising repre-
sents a substantial portion of total losses,^1 and mechanical damage has long been
internationally identified as the leading cause of quality loss at wholesale and retail
levels for a number of fruits and vegetables.2,3 Minimizing injury caused by abrasion,