Introduction to the conservation of tropical fruits

Tropical fruits are increasingly present on European markets and increasingly familiar to consumers. Their nutritional qualities are praised in numerous advertisements that encourage housewives to know, choose and purchase these fruits for their levels of vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants or micro-nutrients. The trend towards linking the quality of this produce with health has led scientists to focus research on the techniques that conserve these qualities for the consumer and enable their improvement during production and harvesting in the producer country. Research work covers the following aspects: before the harvest: quality build-up and improvement in fruits (improvement of harvesting dates, especially for mango); post-harvest: - the maintaining of this quality and the lengthening of the life of tropical fruits (the final aim would be the sea transport of practically ripe fruits). This would make it possible to improve the taste qualities of the produce and to reduce export costs by favouring sea transport rather than air freight; - the use of conservation techniques that allow for consumer requirements and wishes, with maximum use of natural substances or the limiting of storage techniques whose effects on human health are not yet known. (texte intégral)

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ducamp-Collin, Marie-Noelle
Format: article biblioteca
Language:eng
Subjects:J11 - Manutention, transport, stockage et conservation des produits d'origine végétale, Q02 - Traitement et conservation des produits alimentaires,
Online Access:http://agritrop.cirad.fr/485178/
http://agritrop.cirad.fr/485178/1/ID485178.pdf
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Summary:Tropical fruits are increasingly present on European markets and increasingly familiar to consumers. Their nutritional qualities are praised in numerous advertisements that encourage housewives to know, choose and purchase these fruits for their levels of vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants or micro-nutrients. The trend towards linking the quality of this produce with health has led scientists to focus research on the techniques that conserve these qualities for the consumer and enable their improvement during production and harvesting in the producer country. Research work covers the following aspects: before the harvest: quality build-up and improvement in fruits (improvement of harvesting dates, especially for mango); post-harvest: - the maintaining of this quality and the lengthening of the life of tropical fruits (the final aim would be the sea transport of practically ripe fruits). This would make it possible to improve the taste qualities of the produce and to reduce export costs by favouring sea transport rather than air freight; - the use of conservation techniques that allow for consumer requirements and wishes, with maximum use of natural substances or the limiting of storage techniques whose effects on human health are not yet known. (texte intégral)