thompson, james, michael reid future directions in postharvest … · – marketing chain new...

6/19/2015

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Future directions in postharvest handling of horticultural crops

Postharvest ShortcourseJune, 2014

James Thompson & Michael Reid

Future directions in Production

Harvest

Handling

Packaging

Storage

Transportation

Marketing

What do customers want?

Quality

Value for money

Convenience

Shelf life safety

Flavor

Variety

Nutrition

Information/recipies

Availability

Nutritious food

High in antioxidants, other phytonutrients

Existing plant materials Genetically modified plant

materials Nutrition life shorter than

appearance life! Better understanding of

the links among food, nutrition & health

Overcome anti-nutritional toxins in food

Safe food– Hot water brushing

– Pre-blanching

– Real-time pathogen testing

– Irradiation

Gloves– Releasing ClO2

Clamshells– Protect you from your

neighbors

Tasty food

Crisp tender vegetables, with good characteristic flavor

Crisp or juicy fruit with high sugar, good acid balance

Good aroma

No off flavors

Thompson, James, Michael Reid "Future Directions in Postharvest Handling of Horticultural Crops" Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops Short Course 2015 (c) Postharvest Technology Center, UC Regents

6/19/2015

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Quality is the Key

Which do you buy? Strawberries Grapes Apples Peaches Apricots

Strawberry

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010Year

Val

ue

(mill

ion

$)

Apricots

010203040506070

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010YearU

tiliz

atio

n (

mill

ion

lbs)

Source USDA NASS

Tasty food Non-destructive analysis

– Sugar determination

– Other taste components

Tasty food

Grow better varieties – Heirloom, high flavor cultivars

– Genetically modified cultivars

Tasty food

Harvest for taste

The glove

Tasty food

Ripeness indicators on packages

Flavor/taste indicators?


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New sensor technologies

Environmental parameters

Quality attributes

Transportation conditions

Smart-phone apps– Maturity (Color, Frequency)

– Physical abuse

– Temperature

– Humidity

– Wind speed

Produce handling is information intensive

Optimal handling – Product

– Variety

– Production area

– Season

– Cultural practices

– Marketing chain

New information technologies will transform quality management

Convenient to eat No/easy peel

Pre-cut

Convenient portions – small melons, large berries

No seeds

Edible rinds or peels

Ugly Food?

Is marketing misshapen & blemished product a good strategy to reduce food waste?

Increased choice Haute Horticultura


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Prevent low temperature flavor loss

Store chilling sensitive products above the chilling threshold

Determine safe temperatures for flavor retention

?

So what will perishables marketing look like in 10 years?

Webmarkets– Convenience, 24 hour shopping– Personal relationship and quality produce will

drive markets• CSA-like

– Refrigerated ‘slot’ in the home

Developing world – Could by-pass supermarkets?

Google on-line grocery storeGroceries in 8 hours

Underground freight systems

Urban, Interurban, intercontinental?

Pneumatic

Maglev


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Local production? Marketing

Market fully mature– Local

production/farmers’markets

– Just-in-time supply

– Less refrigeration

– More frequent buys

Protected cultivation

Improved water use efficiency

Expanded production season

Tailored crops ideal for mechanical management

Soil-less cultivation

Insect exclusion

On-site horticulture

Reduce transport from 2000 miles to 2 floors

Why not in the basement?

PAR LEDs for more efficient energy use

What about fruit trees?

Rotate into the production space

Refrigerated storage for chilling

Ultra-dwarfing rootstocks


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Why not just manufacture food?

3-D printer for food

Digital gastronomy

Printed, cooked in minutes

Foodini

Hunt’s point in 10 years?

Thanks for participating in the shortcourse!

Thanks for participating in the shortcourse!


thompson, james, michael reid future directions in postharvest … · – marketing chain new...

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