Advances in Postharvest Technologies of Vegetable Crops

This book, Advances in Postharvest Technologies of Vegetable Crops, presents a selection of innovative postharvest management practices for vegetables. It covers technologies in harvesting, handling, and storage of vegetables, including strategies for low-temperature storage of vegetables, active and smart packaging of vegetables, edible coatings, application of nanotechnology in postharvest technology of vegetable crops, and more. It considers the most of the important areas of vegetable processing while maintaining nutritional quality and addressing safety issues related to vegetable processing.

Fruits and vegetables are important sources of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, which provide many health benefits. However, due to poor postharvest management—such as non-availability of cold chain management and low-cost processing facilities, large quantities of vegetables perish before they reach the consumer. Furthermore, higher temperatures in some regions also contribute to an increased level of post-harvest losses.

With chapters written by experts in the postharvest handling of vegetable, this volume addresses these challenges. It is devoted to presenting both new and innovative technologies as well as advancements in traditional technologies. This book will be a valuable resource for scientists and technologists as well as for faculty and students in this field.

Bijendra Singh, PhD, is currently Director of the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. He has developed 23 cultivars, including 11 cultivars in okra (seven varieties and four hybrids), seven varieties in garden pea, two varieties each in cauliflower and radish, and one variety in ash gourd. Of these varieties/hybrids, 18 were identified through AICRP (VC) at the national level, and five were identified at the state level by the UP State Varieties Release Committee. Apart from developing varieties and establishing disease-resistance traits, Dr. Singh has developed 27 vegetable production technologies for the mid-altitude of the North Eastern Hill Region of India. He has also contributed to the transfer of technologies to farmers and other stakeholders through capacity building, FLD, adoption of villages, development of seed villages, and promoting kitchen gardens among the rural people. Dr. Singh has published 135 research papers in national and international journals, as well as several books, any technical bulletins, manuals, book chapters, and popular articles.

Dr. Singh is the recipient of several awards, including the Outstanding Multidisciplinary Team Research Award (2003-04); the Dr. Kirti Singh Gold Medal Award of the Horticulture Society of India (2012) for his outstanding contribution and leadership in the field of vegetable science; the Biswajit Choudhury Memorial Award 2014 for outstanding vegetable scientist by the Indian Society of Vegetable Science; and the Dr. Punjab Singh Vishisht Krishi Vaigyanik Puraskar-2014 for his outstanding contribution in the field of agricultural research management by UPPAS. Dr. Singh is also an active member on assessment committee for the selection of members for the scientific committees/panels under the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Sudhir Singh, PhD, has standardized low-cost drying technologies of bitter gourd, ivy gourd, cauliflower, okra, broccoli, green chili powder, and tomato powder. Dr. Singh has published over 50 research papers in national and international high-impact factor journals as well as several book chapters and practical manuals. He has applied for five patents, of which one has been granted. Dr. Sudhir Singh has guided many students in their research work. Dr. Singh has been awarded the Prof. G. S. Bains Award (2015) for his contributions in food science and technology and the Dr. J. S. Pruthi Award (2010 for his contribution in fruits and vegetable technology from the Associations of Food Scientists and Technologists, CFTRI, Mysore, India.

Tanmay Kumar Koley, PhD, recently joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) system. He has worked on antioxidants in many horticultural crops. He has identified antioxidant rich genotype from zizyphus, carrot, radish, capsicum, brinjal, fenugreek, bitter gourd, pumpkin, etc. Recently he started work on bioactive pigments and their purification and use as ingredients for the development of functional foods. Dr. Koley has published six research articles in internationally reputed journals as well as several book chapters. He has been awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru memorial award (2011) for outstanding contribution in PhD thesis and was also a recipient of a Gold Medal in BSc for best student of the batch and PhD for outstanding research work in PhD programme.