POSTHARVEST TRANSPIRATION BEHAVIOR OF VEGETABLES - A NEW APPROACH

Postharvest quality losses caused in transpiration and respiration activities in vegetables such as radishes and carrots depend on produce properties at the date of harvest and on postharvest environmental conditions. The objective of the present study was to analyse and improve the postharvest conditions for perishable horticultural produce in order to maintain quality. The basic idea was to separate the effects of produce properties and environmental conditions, to obtain more detailed information about the different influences of mass transfer components.
A non-destructive method, involving measurement of two transpiration coefficients, to determine the transpiration behavior of fresh harvested produce is presented. One coefficient describes the water status of the produce, as unaffected by environmental conditions. He second is used to calculate the flow conditions against and around the produce. This information is a powerful tool for the design of technical equipment and procedures for the postharvest period.