Due to the nature of agricultural commodities as carriers of exotic pests, importing countries have employed varying methods of pest control for postharvest products. Thermal treatments are emerging as effective, environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional methods, eliminating chemical residues and minimizing damage to produce. This book provides comprehensive information of these increasingly important treatments, covering temperature measurement, heat transfer, physiological responses of plants, insects and pathogens to heat, and an introduction to current and potential quarantine treatments based on hot air, hot water, and radio frequency energy.

Attempts to provide safer and higher quality fresh and minimally processed produce have given rise to a wide variety of decontamination methods, each of which have been extensively researched in recent years. Decontamination of Fresh and Minimally Processed Produce is the first book to provide a systematic view of the different types of decontaminants for fresh and minimally processed produce. By describing the different effects – microbiological, sensory, nutritional and toxicological – of decontamination treatments, a team of internationally respected authors reveals not only the impact of decontaminants on food safety, but also on microbial spoilage, vegetable physiology, sensory quality, nutritional and phytochemical content and shelf-life. Regulatory and toxicological issues are also addressed. The book first examines how produce becomes contaminated, the surface characteristics of produce related to bacterial attachment, biofilm formation and resistance, and sublethal damage and its implications for decontamination. After reviewing how produce is washed and minimally processed, the various decontamination methods are then explored in depth, in terms of definition, generation devices, microbial inactivation mechanisms, and effects on food safety. Decontaminants covered include: chlorine, electrolyzed oxidizing water, chlorine dioxide, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid, essential oils and edible films and coatings. Other decontamination methods addressed are biological strategies (bacteriophages, protective cultures, bacteriocins and quorum sensing) and physical methods (mild heat, continuous UV light, ionizing radiation) and various combinations of these methods through hurdle technology. The book concludes with descriptions of post-decontamination methods related to storage, such as modified atmosphere packaging, the cold chain, and modeling tools for predicting microbial growth and inactivation. The many methods and effects of decontamination are detailed, enabling industry professionals to understand the available state-of-the-art methods and select the most suitable approach for their purposes. The book serves as a compendium of information for food researchers and students of pre- and postharvest technology, food microbiology and food technology in general. The structure of the book allows easy comparisons among methods, and searching information by microorganism, produce, and quality traits.

Stored product insects and other pests represent a major hygiene and safety issue to many industries, from food production to building infestation, and issues for timber pallets and packaging. Beds bugs are rapidly becoming a public health issue in hotels, hostels and houses in many parts of the world. While fumigation has been one of the prevalent routes for pest control, there remain issues with the toxicity of the chemicals used and potential exposure to humans therefore heat treatment has proven to be a successful alternative when used correctly. It is well known that excessive heat is dangerous to life. There is a difference between the amount of heat required to kill microbes such as bacteria and viruses and that required to kill larger life forms such as insects or mammals. This book focuses on the use of heat to kill insects and mites in food production, storage and other facilities. Heat Treatment for Insect Control examines how controlled heat treatment kills all stages of pest insect life across species and without causing damage to surrounding structures or electronics. The advantages of heat treatment include no health & safety hazards, a completely controllable and environmentally friendly process, reduced treatment time of fumigation (hours verses days), as well as no factory shutdown or exclusion of staff from adjacent areas during treatment. Part I reviews the principles of heat treatment, with chapters covering the fundamentals, planning, best practice and costs of integrated pest management. Part II looks at heat treatment applications in food production, storage, food materials and fresh produce. Part III examines the other applications in clothing, small rooms, buildings, and transportation. - Provides a comprehensive and systematic reference on the heat treatment for insect control - Reviews the development of heat treatment processes and technology as part of integrated pest management approaches

Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has increased dramatically in the last several decades. This increased consumption has put a greater burden on the fresh produce industry to provide fresher product quality, combined with a high level of food safety. Therefore, postharvest handling, storage and shipment of horticultural crops, including fruit and vegetable products has increased in importance. Novel Postharvest Treatments of Fresh Produce focuses mainly on the application of novel treatments for fruits and vegetables shipping and handling life. A greater emphasis is placed on effects of postharvest treatments on senescence and ripening, bioactive molecule contents and food safety. The work presented within this book explores a wide range of topics pertaining to novel postharvest treatments for fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables including applications of various active agents, green postharvest treatments, physical treatments and combinations of the aforementioned.

Postharvest management of food crops is an important part of food safety and security across the supply chain. It includes processing of agricultural produce, storage, packaging and coating, postharvest disease management, extending shelf life, and maintaining food quality and safety. Postharvest Technology - Recent Advances, New Perspectives and Applications discusses some important aspects of postharvest technologies. Chapters address such topics as postharvest preservation technology, postharvest disease management, and postharvest processing and packaging.

Radio-Frequency Heating in Food Processing: Principles and Applications covers the fundamentals of radio-frequency (RF) heating and the use of RF-heating technologies in modern food processing, preservation, and related industries. Focusing on industrial and lab-scale applications where RF heating has been employed successfully or reported to have

This book comprises 13 chapters discussing pest management and phytosanitary trade barriers; agricultural warfare and bioterrorism using invasive species; managing risk of pest introduction; and postharvest phytosanitary disinfestation.

Insect infestations in grains and other stored food and fibre products cause annual losses worth many millions of dollars worldwide. This illustrated guide enables specialists and non-specialists to distinguish the major pests of durable stored products found throughout the world. It describes how to identify each pest group or species and summarises the latest information on their biology, ecology, geographical distribution, the damage they cause and their economic importance. Hundreds of colour photographs illustrate the identifying features of the most important beetles, moths, psocids, bugs and wasps found in stored products. Essential details on inspection and trapping are included to aid in the early detection of infestations, allowing more time to plan and undertake effective pest control. An extensive bibliography provides a convenient entry point to the specialised literature on these insects. This concise yet comprehensive reference is an essential tool for people responsible for the storage and handling of dried durable products of plant and animal origin worldwide.

An increased understanding of the developmental physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology during early growth, maturation, ripening, and postharvest conditions has improved technologies to maintain the shelf life and quality of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Postharvest Biology and Technology of Fruits, Vegetables, and Flowers provides a comprehensive introduction to this subject, offering a firm grounding in the basic science and branching out into the technology and practical applications. An authoritative resource on the science and technology of the postharvest sector, this book surveys the body of knowledge with an emphasis on the recent advances in the field.

International trade in high value perishables has grown enormously in the past few decades. In the developed world consumers now expect to be able to eat perishable produce from all parts of the world, and in most cases throughout the year. Perishable plant products are, however, susceptible to physical damage and often have a potential storage life of only a few days. Given their key importance in the world economy, Crop Post-Harvest Science and Technology: Perishables devotes itself to perishable produce, providing current and comprehensive knowledge on all the key factors affecting post-harvest quality of fruits and vegetables. This volume focuses explicitly on the effects and causes of deterioration, as well as the many techniques and practices implemented to maintain quality though correct handling and storage. As highlighted throughout, regular losses caused by post-harvest spoilage of perishable products can be as much as 50%. A complete understanding, as provided by this excellent volume, is therefore vital in helping to reduce these losses by a significant percentage. Compiled by members of the world-renowned Natural Resources Institute at the United Kingdom's University of Greenwich, with contributions from experts around the world, this volume is an essential reference for all those working in the area. Researchers and upper-level students in food science, food technology, post-harvest science and technology, crop protection, applied biology and plant and agricultural sciences will benefit from this landmark publication. Libraries in all research establishments and universities where these subjects are studied and taught should ensure that they have several copies for their shelves.