Articles
Is controlled atmosphere container transport effective in reducing crown rot development in organic bananas?
Article number
1386_9
Pages
65 – 72
Language
English
Abstract
Organic bananas are grown without synthetic fertilizer or chemical pesticides.
This is better for the environment and the health of consumers and banana workers.
However, it makes export banana more susceptible to postharvest decay, especially during the long (2-4 weeks) transit time in refrigerated containers to European markets.
A notable form of postharvest decay is rot of the cutting surface of the banana cluster, known as crown rot.
Industry professionals know that crown rot is a seasonal phenomenon and assume that transport in controlled atmosphere (CA) containers (with reduced O2 and increased CO2 content) can reduce the development of crown rot during transit.
This study uses crown rot quality survey data of year-round weekly shipments of organic bananas from Peru to Europe over a five year time span and weather data from a public weather station.
This allows to analyse the incidence of crown rot as a function of physiological factors, such as temperature sum of the fruit at harvest and fruit grade, and logistical factors such as transit time and controlled atmosphere.
Using exploratory and count regression data analysis, the study shows that crown rot development is related to increased temperature sum during growth of organic bananas rather than to high humidity or rainfall.
A longer transit time increases the chance of crown rot development, while CA reduces the susceptibility markedly.
The sensible deployment of CA in the susceptible time of the year can reduce the costs of spoilage and waste and contribute to sustain farmer income and reduce financial losses and indebtedness to export cooperatives of small banana farmers that make up the larger part of the Peruvian organic banana sector.
This is better for the environment and the health of consumers and banana workers.
However, it makes export banana more susceptible to postharvest decay, especially during the long (2-4 weeks) transit time in refrigerated containers to European markets.
A notable form of postharvest decay is rot of the cutting surface of the banana cluster, known as crown rot.
Industry professionals know that crown rot is a seasonal phenomenon and assume that transport in controlled atmosphere (CA) containers (with reduced O2 and increased CO2 content) can reduce the development of crown rot during transit.
This study uses crown rot quality survey data of year-round weekly shipments of organic bananas from Peru to Europe over a five year time span and weather data from a public weather station.
This allows to analyse the incidence of crown rot as a function of physiological factors, such as temperature sum of the fruit at harvest and fruit grade, and logistical factors such as transit time and controlled atmosphere.
Using exploratory and count regression data analysis, the study shows that crown rot development is related to increased temperature sum during growth of organic bananas rather than to high humidity or rainfall.
A longer transit time increases the chance of crown rot development, while CA reduces the susceptibility markedly.
The sensible deployment of CA in the susceptible time of the year can reduce the costs of spoilage and waste and contribute to sustain farmer income and reduce financial losses and indebtedness to export cooperatives of small banana farmers that make up the larger part of the Peruvian organic banana sector.
Authors
J.W.H. van der Waal
Keywords
crown rot, controlled atmosphere, banana, organic, Peru, temperature sum
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