Question

The moisture content in perishable horticultural produce with a short shelf life is

• A. 30-40 per cent
• B. 20-30 per cent
• C. 80-90 per cent
• D. 3-8 per cent

Hint:

Highly perishable crops like leafy vegetables and soft fruits are mostly water (\( 80\% \text{ to } 90\% \)).
This high water activity is the primary reason they require cold storage and careful handling to prevent rapid post-harvest loss.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Perishable agricultural and horticultural commodities (such as fresh leafy vegetables, soft fruits, and flowers) are characterized by rapid post-harvest deterioration and a short shelf life.
The high rate of metabolic activity, respiration, and susceptibility to mechanical damage and microbial decay in these tissues is directly correlated with their high water content.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the moisture levels in different plant products:
1. Perishable Horticultural Produce: Fresh fruits (e.g., tomatoes, berries, citrus) and vegetables (e.g., lettuce, spinach, cabbage) are composed primarily of water.
Their moisture content typically ranges between \( 80\% \text{ to } 95\% \).
This high water content maintains cell turgidity and crispness.
However, it also makes them highly vulnerable to mechanical bruising, physiological weight loss (shriveling), and rapid microbial spoilage, resulting in a short shelf life.
2. Semi-perishable/Durable Produce: Produce with lower moisture content, such as onions, potatoes, and garlic, contains less water and has a longer shelf life.
3. Dried/Stored Seeds: Cereal grains and oilseeds are dried to a moisture content of \( 8\% \text{ to } 14\% \) (and down to \( 3\% \text{ to } 8\% \) for long-term genebank storage) to suppress respiration and enzymatic activity, allowing for long-term storage.
Therefore, the characteristic moisture content range for highly perishable fresh horticultural crops is \( 80\% \text{ to } 90\% \).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The typical moisture content of highly perishable horticultural crops is 80-90 percent, corresponding to option (C).