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Quality Standards Relevant To The Product
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Internal Quality Standards
Harvesting produce at optimum maturity is an important factor, especially with regard to perishable produce, as it determines the shelf life of the final product.
In the case of fruit, several parameters, including puffiness, rind colour, and acid and sugar levels, are used to measure fruit maturity. The parameters are monitored from about four to six weeks before the anticipated date of harvest to confirm that the predicted fruit maturity coincides with the packing period indicated on the crop estimate. It is important to know how maturity is measured for the product that is to be harvested.
It is essential that the internal produce quality complies in all respects with the export requirements before harvesting.
External Quality Standards
A thorough understanding of external standards must be known for the specific commodity; these will vary.
External standards at the time of harvest refer, in the case of fruit, to rind colour, blemishes, deformed fruit and insect damage and diseases. Injuries sustained during picking and transport are also monitored at the packhouse as a culling factor.
Rind colour develops further after picking and can be enhanced through de-greening or delaying the fruit before processing at a higher temperature. Practices like these will however detract from shelf life and marketing potential. It is therefore best practice to only harvest fruit with fully developed rind colour.
Blemishes are caused by wind, hail and insects, as well as by implements at an early stage of fruit development. A certain level of blemishes is allowed in export and local market fruit, but obviously, non-conforming fruit must be graded out in the orchard. This also holds for deformed fruit.
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases usually affect produce long before harvest. Numerous post-harvest diseases result from pre-harvest infections; these should be controlled as per the commodity being produced. The level of post-harvest decay is also influenced by picking, transport and other practices. Correct management of these practices is therefore of primary importance to deliver a highly marketable product to the packhouse for processing.