Browsing by Author "Oliveira, Cristina Moniz"
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- Preharvest factors affecting fruit quality and safetyPublication . Oliveira, Cristina Moniz; Nunes, CarlaQuality of fruit and vegetables is defined at harvest, and postharvest technologies only ensure that the rate at which products’ quality decline is minimized. Fruit growers are faced with the problem of producing enough quantities to be profitable but also to produce with high intrinsic quality. For consumers, flavor and safety are the most important characteristics of quality. The main factors that affect flavor quality are the genotype (cultivars/rootstocks), maturity at harvest, environment and cultural practices and the cross effect between them. Pest and diseases control with pesticides, the use of growth regulators to improve quality and consumer acceptance also play an important role in cultural practices and are firmly related to safety. Some examples of preharvest factors influencing quality and safety of fruits will be discussed, given that postharvest quality is based both on better flavor and safer products, as well as in long shelf life and high acceptability. In the future, producers will have to identify all factors that influence composition and quality and to use environmental friendly technologies that are able to increase postharvest quality.