Cultural
Practices
It is
important that fruits are produced under optimum conditions as the internal and
external quality of Fruit at harvest is determined by several factors. These
include: quality planting material, optimum nutrition, adequate irrigation,
drainage and spacing and proper management of pest and disease.
Development
and Maturation
Pineapple
has three distinct phases of growth:
Ø
the vegetative phase of leaf growth;
Ø
the generative phase of fruit growth; and
Ø
another vegetative phase of shoot growth.
Pineapples contain negligible starch reserves
for sugar metabolism after separation from the plant, and any acid reduction or
flavour development after harvest is minor. In order for the fruit to attain
its maximum sugar content and its best flavour it must be allowed to ripen
completely on the plant. If harvested too early, the pineapple fruit would be flavorless
with poor aroma and the almost colourless flesh would be very acidic and
extremely susceptible to internal browning and chilling injury. Fruit harvested
too late, would be very sweet, with low acidity and with a distinct yellow color
flesh. These fruits are very fragile, and susceptible to fungal attack with the
possibility of the onset of fermentation taking place.
Origin of the
Pineapples
View
of Mt. Matutum from the Pineapple Plantation at the base of the volcanic
mountain located in Polomolok, South Cotabato on the island of Mindanao,
Philippines. 
Under the
shadows of Mt. Matutum, in Polomok lies the world's largest integrated
pineapple plantation producing Fresh Pineapple (Class A) / M2 directly adjacent
to Dole Philippines. EXAEDIFICO obtains
it pineapples and utilizes the same growers that supplies Dole
Philippines. Polomolok is also dubbed as
“Pineapple country”; its vast and fertile fields are awesome scenery that is
waiting to be discovered. These lush and green-coloured pineapple fields are
stretched across the interior landscape of the region as far as the eye can
see. The gorgeous fields have a fresh, tropical smell of ripe pineapples and
kalachuchi flowers; it gives a breathtaking view that is a constant reminder of
the beauty of the region. The delicious pineapples from Polomolok have a unique
sweet and tangy taste; they are consumed locally as fresh fruit and used to
produce juice and slices for exports. The pineapple has become a symbol of
welcome and hospitality all around the world and is known as one of the most
versatile food. A visit to Polomolok would not be complete without taking home
some freshly harvested “Queen of Fruits”.
Mt.
Matutum, a volcano that nourished the soil of the province, giving food and
life to the people of South Cotabato, is truly a gift of Mother Nature.
There are
a lot of 'plantations' in the Philippines. On these large commercial
agricultural businesses one single product (plant) is dominating. In the Philippines there are among others
banana, coconut, mangosteen and pineapple plantations. Some of the world’s
biggest pineapple plantations (by Del Monte and Dole) are located in the Philippines
on the island of Mindanao. The Philippines is the largest producer of
pineapples in the world.
Pineapple
Plantation fields stretching over 38,000 hectares at the base of Mount Matutum
located in Polomolok, South Cotabato on the island of Mindanao, Philippines.
The Growers:
There are
a number of production modes employed by multinational companies and large
domestic firms. These include contract
growing, lease arrangements, company-managed farms and joint ventures. No data are available on the number of
hectares cultivated under each production mode.
The following are common growership agreements:
• The
exporter advances 100% of the growers’ costs like payroll, fertilizers,
chemicals, packaging materials and overheads. In exchange, the grower commits
to sell all his produce to the exporter at a price agreed at the start of the
year.
• The
exporter advances portion of the growers’ costs like irrigation and aerial
spray. The grower commits a certain volume
of only, say, 2,000 boxes/ha at a fixed price agreed at the start of the year.
He has the option to sell the remainder of the produce to the exporter or other
traders.
• A grower
is independent of the exporter and decides whom to sell his produce. The pineapple
contract growing scheme is a joint venture between a grower and a company. Under this scheme, a grower is contracted by
the company to plant his/her land with pineapples that will be exclusively
purchased by the latter. In principle, a
70%-30% sharing of production cost is observed by the company and the
grower. The 70% portion comes in the
form of financing and technology. The company
provides the capital for farm inputs and the infrastructure facilities,
equipment, and technical know-how in the production of pineapples. This amount is eventually deducted from the
sale of processed pineapples.
The
grower’s 30% is in the form of land and labor, which the growers provide and
pay for. The revenues derived by the
grower are net of the deductions for the financing provided by the
company. The grower is tasked to manage
the land and provide labor while the company exclusively buys and exports the
pineapples, bananas, mangoes and other tropical fruits produced.
The Process:
Quality
Indices
The
fruit must be:
a)
normally developed, sound and undeformed;
b)
of a satisfactory maturity and colour;
c)
free from any abnormal flavour or colour;
d)
exempt from parasites or physiological
diseases;
e)
free from holes, bruises or signs of shocks
due to careless handling;
f)
free from deep cracks;
g)
exempt from sunburn symptoms;
h)
topped by a symmetrical crown with no visible scar
if it has been shortened;
i)
in possession of clearly-sectioned peduncle measuring
5 – 20 mm long.
Harvesting
Harvesting
pineapple fruits early in the morning or late in the evening or during the night
would provide protection from the sun and this could reduce the heat load on
harvested fruits during pre-cooling. Pineapple fruits are harvested by bending
them over and twisting to remove fruits from the stalk. The quality of the crown
is an indicator of freshness and therefore crowns should be green with
turgescent leaves. The crowns should not have a withered appearance, which may
be due to insufficient irrigation, extensive refrigerated storage, and storage
at temperatures below 7 – 8 ° C, low relative humidity, and delays during
marketing and incorrect application of ethephon. The height of the crown should
also correspond to the dimensions of the packaging that will be used. For small
fruit, the size of the crown should be between a third and two-thirds the
height of the fruit. For market requirements, it is possible to limit the size
of the crown. This operation must be done two months before harvest by
destroying the heart of the crown with a “gouge”, without leaving a visible
scar. For larger fruits, the crown should be between a quarter to a half the
size of the fruit. The crown should not be shortened at the time of harvesting
because this practice would leave a wide wound which spoils the appearance of
the fruit, favours the growth of fungi and could cause fruit rot. The manner in
which the peduncle is cut at harvest is important to optimize overall quality
and appearance. Peduncles should have a clean cut and be 5 – 20 mm long,
especially when fruits have to be transported in a vertical position. Sunburn
is common during hotter periods (>35°C), when the fruits are not shaded. Sun
scorched fruits show a bleached yellow-white skin, which turns pale grey or brown,
and damage to the flesh underneath. These damaged areas are more susceptible to
attack by disease organisms, particularly yeast and bacteria. The fruits are protected by outer leaves to
prevent sunburn in the field. Harvested fruits are placed in baskets, crates or
bags by hand, upside down on the crown to avoid injury. When harvesting
containers are filled they should be transported as soon as possible to the packing
house. Disinfection of the peduncle
should be carried out less than three hours after harvest to efficiently
prevent the penetration of the fungus Thielaviopsis paradoxa which is
responsible for black rot (water blister) of the fruit. The dry leaves at the
base of the fruit should be trimmed before disinfection. They may contain mealy
bugs or fungi.
Packinghouse
Operations:
v Pre-cooling
On
arrival at the packinghouse, fruits are unloaded by hand and submerged in water
or allowed to slide out of the container into the water. The water in the dump
tanks should be chlorinated and replaced frequently to prevent a build-up of
disease organisms. Fruits with high
flesh translucency are called “sinkers” and must be separated at this stage.
The “sinkers” are very fragile and have limited shelf life. High translucency
is also associated with bacterial and yeast fermentation and acetic acid
souring during handling, shipping and marketing. Care must be taken to avoid
mechanical damage to the crown and mechanical injury to the fruit shell. The
purpose of pre-cooling is to remove field heat.
If pineapples are to be exported to the destination within 2 – 3 days of
harvesting, as with air-shipments, then pre-cooling is advisable. Pineapples transported by sea should preferably
be pre-cooled prior to loading into containers. By submerging fruits in water
as described previously, hydro-cooling is being achieved. Temperature
controlled rooms can also be used but cooling rate is slow particularly if
stacking and spacing are not adequate to allow free and even air flow or if the
refrigeration capacity is inadequate. A forced air cooling system is more
efficient but this requires a specially designed unit and compatible
packaging. Pineapples should be pre-cooled
to a minimum of 8°C.
v Grading
Fruits are graded based upon certain characteristics: degree of
skin colouration, size (weight), absence of defects and diseases, and in
keeping with other market requirements.
v Application
of fungicides and waxing
Pineapple fruits are commercially treated with a fungicide such as
Dowicide A (Sodium 2-phenly phenoloate) at a concentration of 7g per liter of
water in either a dip or a spray application to control postharvest fruit rot. A wax, which may contain
polyethylene/paraffin or carnauba/paraffin-based, could also be applied to the fruit
with the fungicide. Waxing could reduce
internal browning, a symptom of chilling injury. Waxing also reduces
postharvest water loss and improves fruit appearance.
v De-greening
of fruit shell
Postharvest use of ethephon could result in uniform skin de-greening
but this could also lead to a shortened shelf-life. The need to de-green is
related to the consumer’s perception that a ripe pineapple must have a yellow
skin. Ethylene treatment has no significant effect on flesh TSS or acidity.
v Packaging
Pineapple fruits could be packed 12.0 kgs. Net weight = 1 box for shipment with 5, 6, or 7 pieces per box. Moisture
Content: Not more than 10%, Packaging
Materials Corrugated Fiberboard container for 12 kgs. Pineapple box HSC type
with hand and vent holes. Whichever type of package is used, certain
precautions must be followed: the package should be dry, odorless and
sufficiently rigid to permit stacking; cartons must be adapted to the size of
the fruit to avoid crushing (bulging cases) or crushing the crown; dimensions
of the cartons must be compatible with the modern techniques of palletisation
and the use of the containers, which contributes to the quality of the fruit;
and there should be no transfer of toxic matter from the package to fruit. Transportation
of fruits packed in a horizontal position is more liable to lateral shocks. Absorbent pads are placed at the bottom of
the carton and between layers if fruit are alternated horizontally within the carton.
v Sanitation
of packinghouse
Packinghouse sanitation is an absolute requirement for controlling
postharvest diseases of pineapple fruits. Dirty or soil-contaminated fruit
should be washed outside the packinghouse, as partially decayed fruits are
loaded with microbes and are noted for sticking to surfaces. The water used in
fruit dumps, flumes, or washers must be kept free of postharvest
pathogens. If the water becomes
contaminated with decay pathogens, the fruits will become inoculated and a large
number of fruits would decay before they can be marketed or consumed. Chlorine
is the principal chemical used in sanitizing solutions mainly because it is
safe, effective, and in-expensive and leaves no chemical residues on the
fruit. Clean and sanitize packing areas,
storage rooms, fruit containers and equipment. Prime sites for pathogen growth
are areas that remain wet e.g. brush/sponge rolls and floors. Remove all plant
debris left on the packing line or packinghouse floor. Plant residues in an
environment where moisture is available plus microbes at warm temperatures form
biofilms. While sanitizers can prevent
biofilm formation, they do not penetrate biofilms that have built up over time. Some important sanitation tips for
packinghouses include: (i) pre-rinse equipment or walls (ii) visually inspect
surfaces (iii) scrub from top downward (iv) handle fruit carefully to prevent
wounds (v) remove injured fruits from facilities (vi) maintain an effective pest
control programmed (vii) prepare cartons only as needed (viii) monitor worker
hygiene (ix) apply strict temperature management guidelines.
v Storage of
pineapples
Store
pineapple fruit at 7.5 – 12°C and 90 – 95% relative humidity. At 0 – 4°C, fruits may store for weeks, but
upon transfer to non-refrigerated conditions, the fruit would not ripen and
severe chilling injury symptoms would appear. Half-ripe (M2 – M3) fruit can be
held for about 10 days at 7.5 – 12.5°C and still have about a week of shelf
life with no chilling-induced browning. The maximum storage life at 7°C is
about 4 weeks, but when transferred to ambient conditions, chilling injury develops
within 2 – 3 days. Symptoms of chilling injury include: wilting, drying and
discolouration of crown leaves, failure of green shell to turn yellow, browning
and dulling of yellow fruit, internal flesh browning. Susceptible fruits are generally
lower in ascorbic acid and sugars and are opaque. Partial to complete control
of chilling injury symptoms has been achieved by waxing, heat treatment, modified
atmosphere packaging, ascorbic acid and application of the ethylene inhibitor
1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP).
v Palletisation
Palletisation
is essential to minimize fruit damage due to multiple handling. Movement of
fruits within pack-houses or during temporary storage should be aided by
palletisation.
Preparation
Of Pineapple For Fresh-Cut Purposes
Fresh
pineapples at the M2 or M3 stages of maturity are suitable for fresh-cut
purposes. Studies conducted by Mohammed and Wickham (2002) indicated that fresh-cut
pineapple slices treated with antioxidants in a combined form of 300ppm
ascorbic acid plus 200ppm 4-hexylresorcinol effectively reduced browning and
microbial spoilage during refrigerated storage.
EXAEDIFICO Recognizes Potential Postharvest Losses:
·
Fruit bruising
o
Fruit bruising is a major problem during
harvesting and packing. The bruised area leads to leakage of cell content and
provides openings for saprophytes and disease organisms. Translucent fruits are
highly susceptible to bruising. The bruised flesh appears slightly
straw-coloured and becomes gray with time.
·
Black Rot
o
Black rot caused by Ceratocystis results in a
black watery rot of the flesh and a thin brittle skin. Infection usually occurs
through the cut stem or through damaged areas, but can generally be controlled
by prompt treatment with either Dowicide A or Benlate.
·
Black Spot or Brown Spot
o
Black spot or brown spot caused by Penicillium
finiculosum and Fusarium moniliformae results in browning and sinking of the
eyes and a browning of the internal fruitlets. Incidence is not usually
detected until the fruit is cut. The diseases are believed to be caused by mite
damage in the field allowing entry of the fungi. Pre-harvest spray regimes are
required to control the mite population.
·
Endogenous Brown Spot:
o
This is a physiological disorder characterized
by watery spots which eventually coalesce and turn brown. The incidence is
found in certain varieties and production areas and is generally enhanced
during long term storage.
·
Flesh Translucency
o
This is a physiological disorder where the
pineapple fruit flesh shows water soaking symptoms. Opaqueness as opposed to
translucency lacks the presence of small air bubbles in the intercellular
spaces of the fruit flesh tissue. The causes of translucency are unknown but it
has been associated with high nitrogen, clones, treatment with fruit-enlarging
agents, irrigation rate, planting density, larger crowns and environmental
factors (Soler, 1993).
·
Broken and Hallow Core
o
A transverse break in fruit flesh that occurs
early in development is marked by a slight depression on the outside of the
fruit. The break leaves a gap of 2 – 10 mm in the flesh and the tissue becomes
corked and brown, sometimes accompanied by rot. Hollow core is a vertical crack
in the core that becomes dry and leathery and it may extend to the peduncle.
The fruits are usually opaque and the conditions are thought to be due to
desiccation.
·
Rodents, Birds and Insect Damage
o
Rodents, birds, insects (crickets and
grasshopper) and wind may cause wounding in young fruit that will heal over
with hard, corky, scar tissue. Fruit growth may tear open this injury and lead
to misshaped fruit.
EXAEDIFICO may not be
involved in production but it requires very high quality standards for the
pineapples, bananas, mangoes, coconuts and other fruits/vegetables they export.
Before exportation quantity, quality and
weight to be conducted by SGS or any International certified agencies at
seller’s cost at port of loading. EXAEDIFICO prefer to deal with large companies rather than small/individual growers
because it allows them to exercise control over quality and volume
requirements. The large companies provide their own agricultural chemicals,
aerial spray, cleaning, sorting, packing (using their own box plant), and
transportation from farm to the port.
While multinational companies deduct expenses incurred from the quoted
price for the small growers, they no longer deduct from the large contractors
since they do the services normally provided by the multinational
companies.
