POSTHARVEST HANDLING OF LITCHI

Yoram Fuchs

Introduction

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Son) has originated in China. It has been cultivated for over 3000 years and was introduced to Burma and India by the end of the 17th century and from there probably by the end of the19th century to many countries which have subtropical climate regions such as Japan, Australia, South Africa, Thailand, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, USA – Florida, Brazil, New Zealand and also Israel.

LITCHI PRODUCTION (1998)INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH (ICAR)

COUNTRY PRODUCTION 000 MTINDIA 250 – 300CHINA 190 - 220MADAGASCAR 35 - 40 SOUTH AFRICA 20 - 28THAILAND 5 - 10 MAURITIUS 0.7 - 1

THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION ACCOUNTS FOR 95 % OF THE WORLD’S PRODUCTION (2001)

(PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU – GOVERNMENT OF INDIA)

CHINA IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF LITCHI FOLLOWED BY INDIA, THAILAND, AUSTRALIA, VIETNAM, SOUTH AFRICA, MADAGASCAR AND FLORIDA

TIME OF LITCHI ARRIVAL IN EUROPEAN MARKETS

COUNTRY / SOURCEMONTH OF ARRIVAL

AUSTRALIANOVEMBER - MARCH

ISRAELJULY - AUGUST

MAURITIUSEND OF FEB. - MARCH

SOUTH AFRICANOVEMBER - JANUARY

TAIWANJUNE – AUGUST

THAILANDMAY – JUNE

MADAGASCARNOVEMBER - JANUARY

HOW LITCHI IS CONSUMED?

FRESH FRUIT

JUICE

CANNED

DRIED (LITCHI FIG OR NUT)

PICKLLED

THE MAIN THREE PROBLEMS IN KEEPING THE POSTHARVEST

QUALITY OF LITCHI FRUIT ARE:

• HOW TO PRESERVE THE RED COLOR OF THE PEEL

• HOW TO PROTECT THE FRUIT FROM DECAY BY MICROORGANISMS

• HOW TO REDUCE WEIGHT LOSS (DESICCATION)

LITCHI IS REGARDED AS A NONE CLIMACTERIC FRUIT

-IT DOSE NOT RIPEN OFF THE TREE AND UNRIPE FRUIT

DO NOT DEVELOP FULL FLAVOR.

-THEREFORE, IT HAS TO BE HARVESTED RIPE.

-FOR FRESH MARKET PURPOSES THE MAIN CRITERION

FOR RIPENESS IS THE RED COLOR OF THE RIND

(PEEL, PERICARP).

-THE PEEL TURNS BROWN AND GETTING DESICCATED 1

OR 2 DAYS AFTER HARVEST.

-ALTHOUGH THE BROWNING HAS NO EFFECT ON THE

TASTE AND THE FLAVOR OF THE FRUIT, IT REDUCES

SERIOUSLY ITS COMMERCIAL VALUE.

BET DAGAN, ISRAEL

BET DAGAN, ISRAEL

LITCHI ON THE TREE

LITCHI AT HARVEST

SO2 FUMIGATION IN THE ORCHARD

Fumigation chamber in a family packinghouse

SO2 FUMIGATION IN A FAMILY PACKINGHOUSE

AFTER 20 MIN OF SO2 FUMIGATION

SEPARATING THE FRUIT FROM THE LEAVES AFTER SO2 FUMIGATION

ON THE WAY TO THE COLD ROOM AFTER SO2 FUMIGATION

AFTER 3 WEEKS OF STORAGE AT 5 C

ON DAY OF HARVEST

ABSORPTION SPECTRA IN THE VISIBLE REGION OF PALARGONIDIN CYNIDIN AND DELPHINIDIN(IN 0/01% HCL IN METHANOL)

STRUCTURAL CHANGES OF ANTHOCYANINS WITH pH

ABSORBANCE OF METHANOLIC PEEL EXTRACT OF FUMIGATED LITCHI - “I” AND AFTER

ACIDIFICATION WITH HCL – “II”

6 DAYS AFTER HARVESTIIIIIIIII

SIX DAYS AFTER HARVEST

SIX DAYS AFTER HARVESTFUMIGATION+pH 0.5 FUMIGATED CONTROL

COLOR CHANGES AS A RESULT OF THE pH

HALF FRUIT TREATED WITH HCL

PARTIAL DIP

CRACKS IN LITCHI PEEL

FRUIT ROTS ( MAINLY Penicillium spp.)

DECAY CONTROL0.2% PROCHLORASE

LITCHI PACKINGHOSE

LITCHI PACKINGHOSE

ARRANGING THE PALLET

LITCHI PACKING HOUSE

CRACKED FOOD

BROWN ENDOCARP

BROWN ENDOCARP DISORDERS

SUMMARY OF OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS

HOT WATER BRUSHING

SCHEME OF A HWB LINE IN A LITCHI PACKINGHOUSE

HOT WATER BRUSHING 2

ROTATING DRUM

HWB and COMMERCIAL

HWB and SO2 + HCL, AFTER 5 WEEKS OF STORAGE AT 5 C

HWB + HCL + SPORTAK and CONTROL

DECAY CONTROL TREATMENTS

DECAY SYMPTOMS AFTER 10 WEEKS AT 4°C

WHAT NEXT?• HOW TO KEEP THE RED COLOR

WITHOUT USING SO2 FUMIGATION AND HCL DIP?

• HOW TO PREVENT DECAY WITHOUT USING FUNGICIDES?

• COLD TEMPERATUR (ICE) ?• MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE (BAGS)?• BETTER RH CONTROL?• DIFFERENT CULTIVARS?