Postharvest Losses of Pomegranate Fruit at the Packhouse and Implications for Sustainability Indicators

Abstract

Pomegranate fruit, like other types of fresh horticultural produce, are susceptible to high incidence preharvest and postharvest losses and waste. Several studies have been done to improve the production and handling of pomegranate fruit to meet market standards, but little has been done in loss quantification, especially in the early stage of the value chain such as the packhouse. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify the magnitude of pomegranate fruit losses at the packhouse, identify the causes, and estimate the impacts of losses. The study was conducted on a case study packhouse in the Western Cape Province of South Africa from February to March 2020. The direct measurement method, which involved physical identification of the causes of loss on individual fruit, was used for data collection. Loss quantification involved the calculation of lost fruit proportional to the amount put in the packhouse processing line. The results showed that losses ranged between 6.74% to 7.69%, which translated to an average of 328.79 tonnes of pomegranate fruit removed during packhouse operation per production season at the investigated packhouse. This magnitude of lost fruit was equivalent to over ZAR 29.5 million (USD 1,754,984) in revenue, in addition to the opportunity costs of resources used to produce lost fruit.

Effects of Gum Arabic Coatings Enriched with Lemongrass Essential Oil and Pomegranate Peel Extract on Quality Maintenance of Pomegranate Whole Fruit and Arils

“…The quality factors of harvested pomegranate fruit decrease more rapidly under excessive loss of moisture from the fruit, fungal infection and physiological deterioration during storage and transit [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Thus, approaches to delay the loss of quality and extend shelf life are important.…”

Blanching Pre-Treatment Promotes High Yields, Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, Enzyme Inactivation and Antibacterial Activity of ‘Wonderful’ Pomegranate Peel Extracts at Three Different Harvest Maturities

“…The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.; Lythraceae) is cultivated in many places around the world such as North America, South America, Asia, North Africa, Australia, Israel, the Middle East, and, most recently, South Africa [1][2][3]. Postharvest fruit loss and waste is a major problem in the pomegranate industry, especially on-farm [4] and packhouse level [5], mainly due to the presence of defects and disorders which reduce appearance quality. There are over a thousand cultivars world-wide but 'Wonderful' is the most widely cultivated pomegranate cultivar in South Africa due to its high quality and yields [6].…”

A Comparative Study of Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Plant Essential Oils and Extracts as Candidate Ingredients for Edible Coatings to Control Decay in ‘Wonderful’ Pomegranate

“…Furthermore, losses due to decay limit the availability of fresh produce on the market, causing exorbitant prices, which restrict market growth [5]. Research shows that decay occurs on the supply chain of fresh horticultural produce during several phases, including transportation, cold storage and shelf life [5][6][7][8]. Several pathogens have been implicated as causal agents for postharvest decay in fresh produce, such as Alternaria spp., Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum, P. sclerotiorum and many others [5,9].…”