Strawberry
Postharvest management of strawberries knows many aspects. Please select the page of your interest below. For strawberries, we have gathered information about the supply chain. Next, we focus on the detailed steps along the strawberry supply chain. We start with discussing the harvest practices for strawberries. We continue with proper packhouse practices and transport practices. The last step in the supply chain is the retail. The needed retail practices for strawberries are described. The last two strawberry pages deal with strawberry quality and frequently occurring disorders and diseases. If you need direct consultation on proper postharvest management of strawberries, please contact our expert through the contact form below.
Postharvest points of attention for strawberries
The strawberry chain
Practices in each step of the strawberry chain have a great influence on the postharvest quality and shelf-life. By using appropriate harvest processes and chain conditions, quality can be maintained longer and shelf life can be extended. Failure to follow these processes may result in a high degree of loss or deterioration of the product to a lower quality class. Every step in the chain is important for success later in the chain.
Harvest practices for strawberry
Proper picking is an essential start to being successful in the rest of the strawberry chain. The performance of the pickers is therefore critical to deliver a good quality product. First of all, picking at the right maturity is important to develop a satisfactory taste. Picking and further handling must be done carefully to avoid bruising and other damage to the product. The use of clean and suitable materials such as harvest crates also serves this purpose.
Packhouse practices for strawberry
Packhouse practices cover the activities from the moment the strawberries arrive in the packhouse to the moment of transport to the intended market. Sorting, grading, packing and cooling are among the main activities. It is very important that the packhouse has sufficient capacity to cool the strawberries, as good temperature management is a requirement to maintain a good quality of horticultural produce. Furthermore, proper cleaning and sanitizing of building and equipment is part of good packhouse practices.
Transport practices for strawberry
The transport of fresh products generally takes place in (refrigerated) trucks, reefer containers or by plane. Checks and proper loading are always important to maintain good (temperature) conditions for the product during transport. For strawberries, refrigerated transport is often necessary. Trucks and reefers can maintain a low temperature, but do not have enough cooling capacity to lower the product temperature. Therefore, products must be pre-cooled before entering the refrigerated truck or reefer. During transport and waiting periods, the load must be well covered to protect against dust, sun and rain. Careful driving and careful product handling is essential to prevent damage to products due to mechanical action.
Retail practices for strawberry
Improved retail practices can lead to a higher quality of fresh fruit and vegetables and improve customer satisfaction. For the highest freshness of strawberries on the shelf and to minimize waste, 'first-in first-out' management may be the best strategy. However, quality inspections may lead to other decisions. The staff must be well trained in handling the different types of fresh produce. They must realize that fresh products are very susceptible to handling damage and to unfavourable conditions such as too low or too high temperature.
Strawberry quality
Quality of strawberries is determined by several characteristics that give enjoyment to the consumer. Important characteristics of quality are appearance, colour, texture and flavour. Appearance and colour are examples of external quality parameters. Texture and flavor are examples of internal quality. The quality characteristics are influenced by variety, pre-harvest factors, harvest practices and postharvest handling. Determination of fruit quality provides an important indication of the remaining storage potential and shelf-life.
Strawberry disorders and diseases
Good quality products are free from diseases and disorders! Customers will not buy strawberries with rots or with damaged skin. There are dozens of different diseases and disorders and these are not always easy to recognize. However, a good diagnosis is important. By recognizing the symptoms of a disease or disorder, it can be linked to the cause. If you know the cause, you know what measures can be taken to prevent the disease or disorder in the future.
Research insights for postharvest management of strawberry
In our applied research, we study postharvest management of many fresh products. On this page, some results from our research relevant for strawberries are listed.