•Faculty of AgriSciences

Saving the Harvest Through Innovative Postharvest

Technologies

Umezuruike Linus OparaDistinguished Professor &

DST/NRF South African Research Chair in Postharvest Technology

Towards Sustainable Food Chains

1) What is the nature and extent of the food chain sustainability challenge and what role for innovation in postharvest technology?

2) How can we harness postharvest technologies to address the nutrition and poverty dimensions of food security?

3) What are the needs and opportunities to reducepostharvest food losses and waste?

4) Can Africa feed itself (& the world), sustainably?

Sour

ce: F

AO

Sta

tistic

s

A GLOBAL FRESH FOOD REVOLUTION

Grains Meat, Fish and Dairy

Valu

e-ad

ding

Fruit & Vegetablesthreshing

packagingcold storage

Controlled atmospheremodified atmosphere

transporttruck, ship, rail

airfreight

Postharvest Technology, Food Value Chain Improvementand Economic Development

Perishables orientedDurables oriented

Productionoriented

Postharvestoriented

drying

milling

baking

brewing

fermentation

storage freezingpickling

Freeze-drying

Minimal processing, ready-to-eat

industrial manufacturing

health-foods

hurdle technologies

Postharvest Technologies to Reduce Food Losses and Waste

Problem Solution Technology

Physiological ageing and disorders

Control the environment

Control the atmosphere

Regulate biosynthetic pathways/action

Refrigerated storageHyperbaric storageLow oxygen atmosphereHigh nitrogen atmosphere

Ethylene treatmentDiphenylamine (DPA)1-MCP treatment

Pests and diseases

Agri-food chemicals Pesticides, Fungicides,Bactericides, Ozone, Chlorine, Waxes/coatingsHot airHot water

Problem Solution Technology

Mechanical damage

Packaging

Reduce handling forcesImpact, compression, vibration

Ventilated packagingModified atmosphereActive packagingIntelligent packaging

Cushioning, PaddingDeceleration

Coors Brewing Company introduced a Vented Wide Mouth™ can

Individual fruit

Internal packaging

Carton/box

Pallet stack

Refrigerated shipping container

Reefer ship

•Faculty of AgriSciences

Postharvest Technology

of Pomegranates

-a value chain approach

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Pomegranates+Postharvest

Pomegranates

Managing Maturity for Optimal Postharvest Handling, Nutrition and Health

1. Fawole OA. Opara UL. 2014. British Food Journal, 116(3): 544-567. 2. Fawole OA. Opara UL. 2013. Scientia Horticulturae 150(4): 37-46. 3. Fawole OA. Opara UL. 2013. Scientia Horticulturae 159: 152–161.4. Fawole OA. Opara UL. 2013. South African Journal of Botany 85:23–31. 5. Fawole OA. Opara UL. 2013. Industrial Crops and Products 47: 300 - 309.6. Fawole OA. Opara UL. 2013. Scientia Horticulturae 157: 90-98.7. Fawole OA. Opara UL. 2013. Journal of Food Science 78(8):S1264-72.8. Fawole OA, Opara UL. 2013. African Journal of Biotechnology 12(25): 4006-4019. 9. Fawole, O.A. and U.L. Opara. 2012. British Food Journal 114(11):1518-1532. 10. Fawole, O.A., U.L. Opara, K.I. Theron. 2012. Food Bioprocess and Technology 5(2):425-444.11. Fawole, O.A., N.P. Makunga, U.L. Opara. 2012. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 12:200

The search for science-based tools toassess fruit readiness for harvest

Harvest time (DAFB)

Physico-chemical properties

167 – 175

(H2)

TSS: ≥ 16ºBrix

Juice content: ≥ 65 mL/100 g aril

A practical guideline – harvest index

Linking Optimal Postharvest Handling to Human Nutrition and Health

1. Caleb, O.J., U.L. Opara et al. 2012. Journal of Food Science 77(4): E80–E87. 2. Caleb, O.J., U.L. Opara, C.R. Witthuhn. 2012. Food and Bioprocess Technology 5(1):15-30.3. Caleb, O.J., U.L. Opara et al. 2012. Postharvest Biology and Technology 64(1):49-544. Caleb, O.J., U.L. Opara et al. 2013. CyTA Journal of Food 11(3):199-207.5. Caleb, O.J., U.L. Opara et al. 2013. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 48(11): 2315–23236. Caleb, O.J., U.L. Opara et al. 2013. Postharvest Biology and Technology 79: 54-61. 7. Caleb, O.J., P.V. Pramod, FAJ Al-Said, U.L. Opara. 2013. Food and Bioprocess Technology 6(2): 303-329.

MarketingProduce

Physiology

Converting technology

Polymer engineering

Consumer demand

Environment

Role of Technological Innovation on Packaging of the Future

Information & Communication

technology

BiotechnologyNanotechnology

MAP Design• Amount of arils (g)• Physiology of arils• Permeability of polymeric film to gases/ vapour• Package geometry and size (volume)

FlavourAppearance

Texture100%0% 50%

Postharvest life

Convenient, smart, intelligent packaging

Flavour life < Postharvest life

Air Albedo Arils0

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mm

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Air Albedo Arils0

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20

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Fruit part

Act

ual v

olum

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m3 )

Prof. Bart NicolaiDr Pieter VerbovenDr Bert VerlindenDr Thijs DefraeyDr Alex AmbawDr Delele Mulugeta

Dr Qian ZouDr David TannerMrYun LuMr Colis Blake (Award)