Quality management and safety assurance in Horticultural chains of Bangladesh

Abstract

Horticultural produce, especially fruits and vegetables, are rich sources of phytochemicals, namely vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Currently, controlling quality and assuring safety of fruits and vegetables in supply chain has become one of the most challenging issues in Bangladesh. Often consumers are dissatisfied with the poor quality produce due mainly to the sub-standard postharvest handling practices. Side by side, the issue of food safety has been emerged as the most serious threat in the context of nutrition security and public health of the country. There are huge concerns over the use of harmful chemicals during production and postproduction stages. The main concerns are related to the presence of heavy metals, chemical residues and microbial contamination. Hence, immediate interventions are needed to stop any malpractice during production and marketing of fruits and vegetables. The recently introduced Food Safety Act 2013 and Formalin Control Act 2014 are two important steps from the Government of Bangladesh to deal with this deep-rooted concern. Apart from laws, various training and awareness programmes are needed so that the relevant stakeholders adopt improved practices to maintain quality and safety of produce along the supply chains. Consumption of good quality, nutritious and safe fruits and vegetables can only be assured if quality and safety control can be ensured at the production (manures, fertilizers, waters, pesticides, plant growth regulators, etc.) and postproduction (during harvesting, sorting, grading, washing, packaging, transporting, storing, processing and marketing) stages. Since, the problem is interdisciplinary and complex, there should have strong coordination among the various groups in the society including producers, traders, processors, policymakers, law enforcing agencies, researchers, physicians, civil society representatives, and other relevant GOs and NGOs in order to prevent the malpractice and improve the quality and safety situation in the horticultural chains of Bangladesh.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ralf.v1i1.22346 Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.1(1): 1-11, Dec 2014

Efficacy of Packaging on the Quality and Shelf Life of Guava (Psidium Guajava)

“…Fruit, vegetables, and root crops have very large postharvest losses because they are far less hardy and perishable than other crops, and if proper care is not taken during harvest, processing, and transportation, they quickly rot and become unfit for human consumption [4]. In Bangladesh, handling, storage, and ripening of fruit after @ @ @ @ @ harvest results in 30 to 50 percent of fruit being wasted [5]. Due to the guava's extreme perishability, this post-harvest loss is very noticeable.…”

An innovation-cycle framework of integrated agricultural knowledge system and innovation for improving farmers climate change adaptation and risk mitigation capacities: A case of Bangladesh

“…To address these challenges, there has been huge change of agricultural knowledge systems during last decade. Main driving forces for such changes are the dynamic structure of supply and demand of agricultural markets such as new types of products and services for growing population (Ahmed et al, 2014;Jordan, 2014;Hassan, 2015).…”

“…All of these are contributing to increase the risks of climate change and environmental adaptation as well as posing threats to human health and livelihoods. The lack of necessary capacities is further contributing to excessive use of pesticides, fertilizers and agrochemicals for agricultural production, mixing or adding of prohibited or hazardous chemicals to foods and foodstuffs for food adulteration, post-harvest preservation, and processing (Wooster et al, 2005;Hossain et al, 2008;Ali, 2013;Rahman, 2014;Robson, 2014;Hassan, 2015).…”

“…Overuse of pesticides and chemicals and their impact are highlighted in many researches (Rahman, 2003;Isin and Yildirim, 2007;Pretty, 2008;Heong et al, 2015). It is alarming that in Bangladesh majority of farmers are not trained in pesticides use or handling fertilizers or spraying preservatives, and most of them openly admit to using little or no protective measures while applying pesticides (Dasgupta et a., 2005;Hassan, 2015). This results in increased health and environmental risks due to contamination of water, loss of biodiversity and deterioration of soil quality and toxic elements in the food chain (Huq et al, 2006;Altieri, 2009;Chowdhury, 2010;Khan et al, 2011;Munnaf et al, 2015;Hassan, 2015).…”

“…It is alarming that in Bangladesh majority of farmers are not trained in pesticides use or handling fertilizers or spraying preservatives, and most of them openly admit to using little or no protective measures while applying pesticides (Dasgupta et a., 2005;Hassan, 2015). This results in increased health and environmental risks due to contamination of water, loss of biodiversity and deterioration of soil quality and toxic elements in the food chain (Huq et al, 2006;Altieri, 2009;Chowdhury, 2010;Khan et al, 2011;Munnaf et al, 2015;Hassan, 2015). A summary of the key risks due to 'risk ignorance' or lack of producers' capacity of risks mitigation is given as follows:…”