Post harvest freshness

Vegetable and fruit produce, once harvested, is subject to an active process of decay. Numerous biochemical processes (postharvest physiology) are continuously changing the original composition of the crop until it becomes no longer marketable. The period before drastic change has occurred is defined as the time of post harvest freshness.

Since freshness is an important factor in product quality, its evaluation should rest upon objective methods, but until recently only sensory tests or mechanical and colorimetric, (optical) criteria have been used. A recent study attempted to discover a biochemical marker and fingerprint methods to serve as a freshness index. [http://www.actahort.org/members/showpdf?booknrarnr=93_4]