Pepper
Postharvest management of peppers knows many aspects. Please select the page of your interest below. For peppers, we have gathered information about the supply chain. Next, we focus on the detailed steps along the pepper supply chain. We start with discussing the harvest practices for peppers. We continue with proper packhouse practices and transport practices. The last step in the supply chain is the retail. The needed retail practices for peppers are described. The last two pepper pages deal with pepper quality and frequently occurring disorders and diseases. If you need direct consultation on proper postharvest management of peppers, please contact our expert through the contact form below.
Postharvest points of attention for pepper
The pepper chain
Practices in each step of the fresh supply chain have a great influence on the postharvest quality and shelf-life of fruit and vegetables. This also holds for peppers. Harvest and cold chain must be well managed to reach the expected pepper quality by the consumer. 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 peppers
Proper harvest of peppers is an essential start for a successful supply chain. The performance of the harvesters is critical to delivering a good quality product. First of all, picking at the right maturity is important to develop a satisfactory final eating quality. 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 peppers
Packhouse practices cover the activities from the moment the products 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 products like peppers, 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 peppers
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 fresh products like peppers, 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 handling are essential to prevent damage to produce from mechanical actions
Retail practices for pepper
Improved retail practices can lead to a higher quality of fresh fruit and vegetables like peppers and improve customer satisfaction. For the highest freshness 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 unfavorable conditions such improper temperature and relative humidity.
Pepper quality
Quality of peppers is defined by several quality attributes. The most important are appearance, colour, texture and flavour. Appearance and colour are examples of quality attributes judged on the outside, whereas texture and flavour are internal quality parameters. The quality attributes 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.
Pepper disorders and diseases
Peppers must be free of diseases and disorders. Customers are willing to purchase healthy fruits. Furthermore, fruit that looks good on the outside but presenting internal brown flesh or soft texture will not lead to happy customers. Starting point is a healthy fruit at harvest. But also postharvest there are dozens of different diseases and disorders, which are not always easy to recognize. A good diagnosis is important. By recognizing the symptoms of a disease or disorder, it can be linked to the cause. After which, measures can be taken to prevent the disease or disorder from happening again in the future.