Question

Pre-cooling of fruits and vegetables is generally done to

• A. Value addition
• B. Remove field heat
• C. Kill pathogens
• D. Remove moisture

Hint:

Remember the post-harvest mantra: "Cool it fast, keep it cool." The "cool it fast" part is pre-cooling, and its specific target is removing the initial field heat.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the primary purpose of pre-cooling in the post-harvest handling of fresh produce.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
'Field heat' is the latent heat that produce holds from being exposed to the sun and high ambient temperatures in the field at the time of harvest. Freshly harvested produce is a living entity that continues to respire. High temperatures lead to high respiration rates, which in turn leads to rapid deterioration, water loss, and reduced shelf life. Pre-cooling is the process of rapidly and promptly removing this field heat before the produce is stored or transported. By lowering the temperature quickly, pre-cooling slows down respiration and metabolic processes, thus preserving the quality and extending the life of the produce. While it contributes to maintaining value (and thus could be seen as part of value addition) and can slow pathogen growth, its direct and immediate purpose is to remove field heat. Removing moisture is undesirable as it causes wilting.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Pre-cooling is generally done to remove field heat from the produce.