Avocado Fruit Quality Management during the Postharvest Supply Chain

Abstract

Avocados are a popular subtropical fruit of high economic importance, and the European Union is the biggest importer of the bulk of the fruit coming from countries such as South Africa, Chile, and Israel. The fruit is highly nutritious, being rich in vitamins A, B, C, minerals, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and antioxidants. The biggest challenge is that the fruit is highly susceptible to qualitative and quantitative postharvest losses. Successful maintenance of avocado fruit quality during the supply chain depends on many aspects, including adequate orchard management practices, harvesting practices, packing operations, postharvest treatments, temperature management, transportation and storage conditions, and ripening at destination. Postharvest losses are mostly attributed to flesh softening, decay, physiological disorders, and improper temperature management. Management of the supply chain is solely done to provide the fruit with the most favorable conditions to extend storage life, and retain quality and nutritional attributes of the fruit. The focus of this review is therefore to study the findings that have emanated from research done to retain overall avocado fruit quality and to reduce postharvest losses during the supply chain through the adoption of appropriate and novel postharvest technologies.

Keywords:

• Atmosphere modification
• Fruit softening
• Packaging
• Persea americana
• Postharvest diseases

Acknowledgment

The authors express their thanks to Dr. Zelda van Rooyan, Westfalia Technological Services, Limpopo Province, South Africa, for providing valuable suggestions.

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Post-Harvest Innovation Programme (Fresh Produce Exporter Forum, South Africa, and Department of Science and Technology).