TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT OF POSTHARVEST LOSSES OF TOMATOES AND MANGOES DURING HANDLING

Abstract

The quality and nutritive value of fresh produce is affected by postharvest handling and storage condition. This study which aims at evaluating postharvest losses of tomatoes and mangoes during handling would assist in reducing harvest losses and fruits quality enhancement. This project expresses the postharvest handling of tomatoes and mangoes by farmers in Ilorin and Ogbomosho town; evaluated the effects of five storage methods on the quality of tomatoes and mangoes and proposed appropriate handling method for the two fruits. A hundred and forty questionnaires were administered to mangoes and tomatoes handlers which aimed at expounding demographic features, postharvest handling method of packaging and storing the two fruits. The effects of different packaging methods (raffia basket with paper cover, plastic bowl and polythene bag) and storage methods (evaporative cooler and refrigerator) on firmness, weight loss, deflection yield, energy yield and moisture content were carried out on roma and cherry species of tomatoes and mangoes respectively. Fifty samples each were selected and evaluated in the different packaging and storage media for a period of two weeks. At three days interval, samples were tested for engineering properties to determine the weight size, firmness, stress, strain and energy yields, deflection yield and moisture content. From the analysis of the questionnaire, the male gender were into the handling of tomatoes while the female predominated the handling of mangoes in the specified locations, where most of the respondents were secondary school leavers. The questionnaire shows that the farmers use the raffia basket and paper as a cover material in the packaging of their harvested produce. An average of 5 to 10 baskets of tomatoes and mangoes were harvested from a farm size of 2 hectares to 6 hectares. Deterioration of the fruits were measured in terms of weight, firmness, moisture content during the process of storage; however, while the weight and firmness of tomatoes and mangoes decrease, the moisture content increases. The percentage weight loss was at a peak between the ninth twelfth with a value of 31.80 in the plastic bowl packaging while the firmness value of tomato stored in the raffia basket decreased from 8.82N to 5.38N with increasing moisture content from 86% to 97.9% (wet basis). The refrigerator storage had a percentage loss in firmness of 24% with a moisture content (wet basis) percentage increase of 3% for the period of the experiment. The evaporative cooler exhibited a better storage condition medium compared to the refrigerator. This research work would assist farmers on methods of minimizing losses associated with handling of tomatoes and mangoes (which have high susceptibility to damage).