Post Harvest Technology - Cranberries

Cranberries

Ilyana Causing

Introduction• Cranberries are a group of evergreen

dwarf shrubs or trailing vines of genus Vaccinum

• Family of Ericaceae• Most cranberries are processed

into juice, sauce, jam, and sweetened dried cranberries, with the remainder sold fresh to consumers.

Vaccinium macrocarpon• The variety recognized by the

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the standard for fresh cranberries and the cranberry juice cocktail. Vaccinium oxycoccus

• The type of variety in Europe• Called as lingonberry or English

mossberry• Has a different acid profile in terms

of the percentages of quinic, malic and citric acid levels present

Types of Cranberry • Common Cranberry or Northern Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos)• Small Cranberry (Vaccinium microcarpum)• Large Cranberry, American Cranberry, Bearberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)• Southern Mountain Cranberry (Vaccinium erythrocarpum)

Nutritional Value of Cranberries• The berry is very acidic in taste, having pH in the range of 2.3

to 2.5• Tart cranberries hold significantly high amounts of phenolic

flavonoid phytochemicals called pro-anthocyanidins (PAC’s)• Antioxidant compounds: oligomeric proanthocyanidins

(OPC’s), anthocyanidin flavonoids, cyanidin, peonidin and quercetin• Good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, ß-carotene, lutein, zea-

xanthin, folate, potassium, and manganese

A Quick Throwback!• Cranberry is derived from the

word "craneberry", first named by early European settlers in America• Another name used in

northeastern Canada is mossberry• In 17th-century New England

cranberries were sometimes called "bearberries" as bears were often seen feeding on them• Native Americans were the first to

use cranberries as food

Growing Cranberries• Grow on bogs and marshes created by glacial deposits

• It requires acid peat soil with pH of 4.5-5 and adequate water supply• They are grown between the months of April-November

Harvesting Cranberries Cranberries are harvested in the fall when they have their distinctive deep red color

Taken to the receiving station

to be cleaned, sorted for

packaging and processing

As the cranberry floats it’s corralled into a corner then

conveyed or pumped from the

bed

Harvester drives through the bed to

remove the fruit from the vine

Beds are flooded about 6-8 inches above the vines

Video

Wet-Picked

Dry-Picked

Harvesting Cranberries• Most cranberries are wet-picked but 5-10% of cranberries in the U.S.

are dry-picked• Dry-picking can be higher in labor cost and lower in yield but less

bruised which can be sold fresh than to be immediately frozen or processed

Water Reel Type HarvesterMotorized Walk-Behind Harvester

Two-Handed Scoops

Maturity Indices

• Berry surface color• Soluble Solids• Titratable Acidity

Quality Indices

• Appearance• Color, Size, Shape, Free from defects

• Firmness• Flavor

• Soluble Solids, Titratable Acidity, Flavor Volatiles

• Nutritional Value• Vitamin A and Vitamin C

Post Harvest Handling and Storage

• Starts with good cultural practices• Proper fertility, Pest Management, Pruning, Sanitation• Minimize mechanical damage (bruising) during harvesting and post

harvest handling, storage grading and packing• Decay and Physiological breakdown are the main reason for storage

losses

Post Harvest Handling and Storage

• Wet-picked cranberry should be removed promptly from the bog water• Cool the fruit quickly and store at ()• Improved handling, Refined Storage Conditions, Post-Harvest

Treatments extends the storage life of fresh cranberries• After harvest, cranberries are stored in shallow bins or boxes with

perforated or slated bottoms – this delay decay by allowing air circulation

• When stored at ) at 90-95% relative humidity they can last for 2-4 months

Temperature Respiration Rate

( 2

( 4

( 9

Ethylene ProductionAt ( the rate is 0.1-1.0

Controlled Atmosphere15-20% and 5-10% reduces growth of Botrytis

cinerea (Grey Mold Rot)

Physiological and Physical Disorders• Shriveling/Water Loss• You should maintain optimum temperature and RH

• Leakers• Physiological Breakdown

• CA – Related disorders• When exposed to more than 2% and/or less than 25% which leads to off-

flavors and brown discoloration

• Chilling Injury• When exposed to temperature more than and results to dull appearance,

rubbery texture and susceptible to decay

Pathological Disorders• Botrytis Rot or Grey Mold

• Botrytis cinerea grows at a slow rate at

• Rhizopus Rot• Rhizophus stolonifer won’t grow at below

Wet-picked cranberries are more susceptible to fungal decay and physiological breakdown when kept in water for more than 12-24 hrs.

Disease Control• Prompt Control• Store at Correct Temperature• Prevent Physical Injury• Ship Under High • Keep away from diseased and wounded fruits

QUIZ

1. The Cranberry variety in Europe is called:

a.Bearberriesb.Lingonberryc.English

mossberryd.Both b and c

2. The pH requirement for the soil is:

a. 6. 2 - 7. 0b. 4. 5 - 5. 0c. 4. 0 - 5. 5d. 2. 4 - 3. 3

True or False

The growth rate of Botrytis cinerea is

fast at

True or FalseBogs and Marshes are layers of soil, peat, gravel and clay

General KnowledgeWhich of these statements are false about

cranberries?

a. Cranberries can bounce when ripeb. They help prevent UTI and kidney stonesc. They are native to South Americad. They help prevent cancer and

cardiovascular diseases