Postharvest and Handling

Adjusting Crop Yield to a Standard Moisture Content

Michael J. Mulvaney and Pratap Devkota

Postharvest Storage, Packaging and Handling of Specialty Crops: A Guide for Florida Small Farm Producers

Jonathan Adam Watson, Danielle Treadwell, Steven A. Sargent, Jeffrey K. Brecht, and William Pelletier

Chlorine Use In Produce Packing Lines

M. A. Ritenour, S. A. Sargent, and J. A. Bartz

The Food Safety Modernization Act and the FDA Facility Registration Program

Susanna Richardson, Renée Goodrich Schneider, Keith R. Schneider, Mark A. Ritenour, and Michelle D. Danyluk

Protecting Perishable Foods During Transport by Truck or Rail

Jeffrey K. Brecht, Steven A. Sargent, Patrick E. Brecht, Jorge Saenz, and Leonard Rodowick

Postharvest Pruning Guide for Hops in Florida

Mariel Gallardo, Shinsuke Agehara, Christopher DelCastillo, and Jack Rechcigl

In Florida, hops have two growing seasons per year, and different pruning practices are recommended after each season. This article explains why, when, and how to prune hops in Florida. It is part of a series that examines the challenges and opportunities of hop production in Florida based on research at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Written by Mariel Gallardo, Shinsuke Agehara, Christopher DelCastillo, and Jack Rechcigl, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department; 3 pp.

Fresh-Cut Mango Best Management Practices Manual

Jeffrey K. Brecht, Anne Plotto, Anna Marín-Gozalbo, and Renee Goodrich

The National Mango Board (NMB), an instrumentality of the US Department of Agriculture, commissioned this work to assist the mango industry. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information. However, NMB makes no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding errors or omissions and assumes no legal liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from the use of information contained in this document. Mention of a trademark or proprietary product is for identification only and does not imply a guarantee or warranty of the product by the US Department of Agriculture. The US Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.

Dried Persimmon Fruit: A Year-round Available Product

Ali Sarkhosh, Fariborz Habibi, Muhammad A. Shahid, Steven A. Sargent, and Jeffrey K. Brecht

Persimmons (Diospyros kaki) are known for their sweet and flavorful taste. They are native to Asia, specifically China, and were first grown in Florida in the 1870s. Persimmons are still not as popular in the United States as other fruits, but interest has been growing in recent years. Persimmon fruit are generally classified into astringent and non-astringent types. Astringent varieties can have adverse health effects caused by tannins and must be fully ripe (soft) or artificially treated to remove astringency. Drying is a common method to preserve and extend the shelf life of persimmons while also enhancing the flavor, color, and nutritional value of persimmons. There are different methods to dry persimmons, including traditional and modern methods.

Mango Postharvest Best Management Practices Manual

Jeffrey K. Brecht, Steven A. Sargent, Adel A. Kader, Elizabeth J. Mitcham, Fernando Maul, Patrick E. Brecht, and Octavio Menocal

A UF/IFAS numbered Management. Published by Food Systems

Alleviating Astringency in Persimmon Fruit for Enhanced Palatability and Consumer Acceptability

Ali Sarkhosh, Fariborz Habibi, and Jeffrey K. Brecht

Persimmon fruits are classified as astringent or non-astringent, depending on the level of astringency the unripe or partially ripe fruit exhibit at the time of harvest. Astringency in persimmon fruit is a sensation caused by tannins present in the flesh that can make the mouth feel dry, cause puckering, numb the tongue, and constrict the throat. Sometimes, it may also impart a bitter taste. The astringency decreases as the fruit ripen until it is no longer present in fully ripe fruit. While consumers typically prefer non-astringent varieties, the cultivation of astringent varieties notably remains common. The purpose of this publication is to introduce consumers, growers, Extension agents, and specialists to postharvest methods for reducing astringency in unripe persimmons, making them more palatable and acceptable for consumption.

Freeze-Dried Muscadine Grape: a New Product for Health-Conscious Consumers and the Food Industry

Ali Sarkhosh, Fariborz Habibi, and Steven A. Sargent

Muscadine grape (Muscadinia rotundifolia [Michx.]) is a fruit crop native to America; it adapts well to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses and have thus been grown and vinified throughout the southeastern US for centuries. Currently, southeastern farmers grow approximately 5,000 acres of almost 100 improved muscadine-grape varieties for commercial use. Recent research demonstrated the fruit’s significant contribution of beneficial phytochemicals to the typical American diet; and thereafter, the demand for muscadine grapes considerably increased. Its thick peels and seeds, though, have prevented wider public consumption. This publication aims to introduce growers, Extension agents/specialists, and the general public to the potential for a new, value-added product that makes muscadine grapes much easier to eat and may diversify the food processing industry.

Process of Drying Post-Harvest Hops (Humulus lupulus) for Small-Scale Producers Using a Novel Drying Rig

Sean Campbell and Brian Pearson

A UF/IFAS numbered peer reviewed Fact Sheet for Commercial audience(s). in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Farm Economics, entrepreneurship, and management