Question

The water content in highly perishable with short shelf-life horticultural produce is

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

Hint:

To extend the shelf life of high-moisture produce, growers use rapid cooling (hydro-cooling or vacuum cooling) and high relative humidity (90-95%) storage to minimize transpiration.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Horticultural commodities (such as leafy vegetables, soft fruits, and flowers) are living, metabolically active tissues. Their physical structure and post-harvest shelf life are heavily influenced by their water content.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Highly perishable horticultural crops have a short shelf life because of their high water content, which typically ranges from 80% to 90% (and can exceed 95% in leafy vegetables and melons).
- This high water content:
1. Maintains cell turgor, giving the produce its characteristic crispness, shape, and fresh appearance.
2. Results in high water activity ($\text{a}_w$), which provides an ideal environment for the growth of post-harvest pathogens (bacteria and fungi), leading to rapid spoilage.
3. Increases the rate of transpiration (water loss) after harvest, which can cause shriveling, loss of weight, and quality degradation.
- In contrast, long-storage commodities like cereal grains are dried to low moisture contents (8%--12%) to inhibit metabolic activity and microbial growth during storage.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The water content in highly perishable horticultural produce is 80-90 per cent.