Hot Water Treatment: A Non-Chemical Alternative in Keeping Quality During Postharvest Handling of Citrus Fruits

Abstract

Citrus fruits are an essential component of some of the human nutritional requirements like vitamins, minerals and organic acids. Preservation of these products, however, is one of the central problems encountered by producers worldwide. The postharvest losses of fruit and vegetable stands at 20-40 % in the average. The use of synthetic chemicals on harvested fresh produce is becoming more difficult to justify due to the concerns about human health risks associated with the chemical residues particularly in the diets of children, the widespread occurrence of fungicide-resistance isolates, the environmental problems associated with the disposal of water used in packing operations, and a lack of approved fungicides for the control of sour rot. Therefore, the interest in “non-conventional ” methods for postharvest decay control of fruits and vegetables has become increasingly important. Hot water treatments to control postharvest diseases of citrus avoid residue and disposal issues associated with chemical treatment. Heat treatment technologies are currently a relatively simple, non-chemical alternative to methyl bromide that can kill quarantine pests in perishable commodities, as well as control some postharvest diseases. Unlike methyl bromide, heat treatments do not pose significant health risks from chemical residues and, as a result, are more appealing to consumers than methyl bromide fumigation. This paper reviews some of the developments in hot water treatment and its effect on the quality of citrus fruits.