2025

Postharvest Technology

Name: Postharvest Technology
Code: FIT13881L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area: Agricultural and Food Engineering

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

Students should acquire knowledge on the physiological behavior of fruits and other plant products during ripening and after harvest. They should be able to recommend the best procedures and techniques to implement and identify existing errors in specific situations. Students should acquire the necessary skills for the correct conduct of fruit storage processes and objective assessment of quality and shelf-life in the work environment, such as fruit and vegetable production companies, fruit plants, and markets and also participate in scientific research on postharvest issues.

Contents

1 - INTRODUCTION
Relevant economic aspects.
The role of post-harvest in the world. Perishable products in developed countries and in developing countries.
Food Losses and Waste.
Nutritional value of fruits and vegetables
2 – PHYSIOLOGICAL BASES AND CONCEPTS IN POST-HARVEST.
Metabolism of post-harvest; ripening; respiration.
Climacteric and non-climacteric fruits.
Ethylene production and role.
3 - HARVESTING
Optimum time of harvest, harvesting operations.
Maturation Indices. Quality assessment: color, texture, acidity and soluble solid content, sensory evaluation.
Quality standards.
4 – STORAGE USING LOW TEMPERATURES
Effect of cold storage on the metabolism of the fruits and vegetables.
Modified atmosphere.
Packaging films: selective permeability.
Edible films.
Minimally processed products.
Controlled atmosphere. Metabolic effects.
Packaging and transport.
5 – STUDY CASES OF SPECIFIC FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND ORNAMENTALS

Teaching Methods

The theoretical component is accomplished through lectures by professors, presential or online, being available on Moodle, PP of the classes, articles, case studies, news, and encouraged participation of students. During the practical classes an experimental work is carried out by the students, in which the laboratory tests are entirely performed by them, with support from the teachers, and using laboratory protocols (Laboratory of Technology and Post Harvest). This work has 3 elements: 1) monograph, 2) presentation in cinetific panel), 3) final written work including the commnets done during the panel presentetion.

Assessment

The evaluation consists of two tests or one exams that accounts for 50% of the fianla grade and a mandatory practical laboratory work. The practical evaluation accounts for 50% of the final grade. Practical work is fundamental to the evaluation, and a grade higher than 9.5 is always required in both the theoretical and practical evaluations for the student to be approved in the course unit.
Throughout the semester, students must carry out that abouve refrrred experimental work during practical classes, with support from teachers, for subsequent presentation and discussion. The work consists of three components: 1) a monograph on the topic under study, post-harvest of a horticultural or fruit crop, to be included in the introduction to the final work; 2) presentation of the work in the form of a panel with a summary of the work and its discussion.; 3) a written work in accordance with the usual organization of a research report.
In the case of continuous evaluation for working studentes (TE), at the beginning of the semester, students must agree with the teachers on an alternative schedule or alternative methods for carrying out the practical component.
The final assessment will consist of an exam evaluating theoretical knowledge and covering practical subjects.

Teaching Staff

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