Processing of Horticultural Crops

Lecture 16 - Quality of fresh and processed products

Introduction
Quality is a measure of the degree of excellence or degree of acceptability by the consumer. It is also defined as the
combination of attributes or characteristics of the products that has significance in determining the degree of
acceptability of the product to a user. Industry defines quality as the measure of purity, strength, flavour, colour,
size, maturity, workmanship or any other distinctive attribute or characteristics of the product. The quality
standards of fresh and processed fruit or vegetable products vary with their intended use. For marketing purposes;
size, attractiveness, maturity, organoleptic quality and freedom from defects are to be kept in mind. While for
processing, physico-chemical attributes of raw material such as presence of soluble solids, development of uniform
colour, flavour, juiciness, uniform maturity, tenderness in some vegetables etc are taken into consideration. During
processing of fruit or vegetables into value added products; colour, flavour and texture etc also become important.

Quality standards: Common standards used for measuring product quality are:

1. Legal standards
2. Voluntary standards
3. Industry standards
4. Consumer oriented or Grade standards

1. Legal standards: These are the standards commonly established by the central or state or local agencies like
corporation, municipal committees etc and are usually mandatory. These mandatory standards are established by
law or through regulations for maintaining quality. Legal standards are generally concerned with freedom from
adulteration and mostly include insects, moulds, yeasts, residual pesticides and maximum limits of additives
allowed or established specific condition in processing so that foods are not contaminated with extraneous matter.
Examples of legal standards include Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA), Food Safety and Standards
Rules, 2011 and Food Safety and Standards Regulations, Food and Drug Administration Act (FDA) etc. Minimum
standards of quality for establishment of unit, labeling and packaging, and physico-chemical attributes for different
food products are specified under FSSA, (2006) and Food Safety and Standards Regulations, (2011) which arte
mandatory to be followed for any food business operations.

2. Voluntary standards: These represent the standards recommended by various segments of the food industry.
Company standards generally represent the consumer image and may become trade mark or symbol of product
quality. Mostly these standards are used by private firms and tend to vary depending upon the organization.
Companies like pepsi, kissan and coca cola, etc sets their own standards for different products.

3. Industrial standards: These are the standards where an organized group attempts to establish certain limits of
quality for any given commodity. Generally these become effective by pressure from marketing organization for
specific commodities, where the legal standards are not involved.

4. Consumer oriented or grade standards: These standards represent the consumer requirement of particular
product and are based on experience. For example few consumers do not prefer a product with preservatives.

Methods for determining quality

A. Objective methods
B. Subjective methods

A. Objective methods: Objective methods of quality evaluation are based on observation from which the attitude
of investigator is entirely excluded. They are based on recognized standards, scientific tests and are applicable to

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any sample of the product without regard to its previous history or ultimate aim. They represent the modern ideas in
quality control because the human element is completely excluded.

Objectives methods are of three types i.e., Physical methods;, chemical methods and microscopic methods.

1. Physical methods: These are the quicker methods and require least training for the evaluator. They include
visual appearance, colour, texture, consistency, size, shape or some process variables like head space, fill, vacuum,
drain weight etc. The colour of the food products can be measured using calorimeter, tintometer or Hunter colour
difference meter. While texture can be determined by using texture analyser or firmness of fruit is estimated by
penetrometer. On the basis of texture profile, the product can be classified as chewy, grainy, crispy, mealy etc.
These methods are called as instrumental methods. Detail of common method used in fresh and processed products
is shown in Table 16.1.

2. Chemical methods: These are the standard analytical methods and are used for quantitative chemical evaluation
of nutritive value and quality levels. However, such analytical methods are lengthy, tedious and expensive. For
routine analyses quick tests are developed like pH, acidity, TSS, jellification etc. Detail of some method used in
fruit products is shown in Table 16.1.

3. Microscopic methods: They are also called as microbiological methods. They are used extensively in quality
control programmes but require considerable training for proper interpretation of results. Two types of microscopic
methods are:

a) To check adulteration and contamination of product with mould, yeast, bacteria, insect excreta etc.
b) Differentiate between cell type, tissue type and identification of micro-organisms in fresh and processed
products.

B. Subjective method: In subjective method, the quality evaluation is based on the opinion of the investigator. It is
usually a physiological reaction which is a result of past experience, training, individual preference and power of
perception. These methods are subjective because an individual is required to give his opinion for quantitative and
qualitative value of characteristics. These methods involve the use of sense organs and are thus called as sensory
methods. Sensory perception includes colour, flavour, odour, taste, touch etc. The food is selected by making use of
all physical senses like sense of sight, touch, smell, taste and even hearing. The snap of chip, crackle of a breakfast
cereal, crunch of apple or celery are textural characters. Other senses are eyes, fingers, tongue, nose and ears. A
guide to common methods for sensory evaluation is given in Table 16.1.

Table 16.1: Common physical, chemical and microbiological and sensory methods for fresh and processed
fruit, vegetable products

Attribute Method /equipment to be used

1. Physical test Vernier calliper

Size Weighing balance

Weight Water displacement method

Volume Specific gravity bottle, pycnometer

Specific gravity Net weight + Tare weight

Gross weight Weight of container

Tare weight Gross weight – Tare weight

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Net weight Net weight – weight of syrup/ brine

Drain weight Visual/ colour charts

Colour Texture Analyser

Texture Penetrometer, Pressure tester

Firmness Ostwald viscometer

Consistency Brookfield viscometer

Viscosity Head space gauge

Head space Vaccum/ pressure gauge

Vaccum/ pressure Seam checking gauge/ seam micrometer

Seam Can tester

measurement

Can testing
2. Chemical test Hand refractrometer, Abbe refractrometer, Hydrometer

Total soluble Salometer

solids
Oven drying method, infra-red moisture meter
Brine strength
-do-
Moisture
pH meter
Total solids
Alkali titration method
pH
Lane and Eynon method
Titratable acidity
2,6 dichloro-phenol- indophenol dye titration method
Sugars (Reducing,
Non-reducing & total Silver nitrate titration using Mohr’s method
sugars)
Modified Ripper-titration method
Ascorbic acid
Muffle furnace
Salt
Benzoic acid is converted to water soluble sodium benzoate. Acidification of sodium
Sulphur dioxide benzoate to form water insoluble benzoic acid and chloroform. Removal of chloroform
with evaporation. Dissolving residue containing benzoic acid in alcohol and titrate with
Ash standard alkali.

Benzoic acid

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3.Microbiological Inoculation chamber, incubator

tests
Howard’s mould counting method
Total plate count/
viable count Presumptive test, conferred test, completed test

Yeast and moulds Macroscopic/microscopic examination

count
Wildman trap flask
Coliform test

Extraneous
contamination

Insect fragments
4. Sensory evaluation Hedonic rating test

Colour Numerical scoring test

Flavour Ranking test

Body Paired comparison test; Single sample test; Multiple sample test

Overall
acceptability

Objective of quality control

1. Control over raw materials by setting up specifications

2. Improvement of product quality
3. Improvement in processing methods by reducing cost of production and improving profits
4. Standardization of the finished product according to label specifications
5. Maintenance of sanitary conditions in the plant
6. Greater consumer confidence towards quality of the product

Factors affecting quality

Quality of processed fruit and vegetables is affected by the following basic factors, either individually or in
combination.

(1) Cultivar: It is an important factor for producing quality product. The varieties/cultivars differ in size, shape,
colour and chemical composition. High yield, attractive appearance and good shipping and keeping quality are the
important characters taken in to consideration.

(2) Cultural practices: These include organic matter, moisture, fertilizer, method of cultivation, irrigation and pest
control methods. Any of these factors may be the limiting factor in producing a quality processed product. The best
example of a limiting quality factor is the use of insecticides that give good control of the pests, but produce or
leave a residue.

(3) Maturity: The maturity of fresh produce is more important than the specific cultivar in many cases. Any
recommended fruit or vegetable cultivar for processing should mature uniformly, should be resistant to insects and
diseases. The crop harvested at its optimum condition need to be processed promptly otherwise the quality may
drop down into the next lower grade in just a few hours.

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(4) Harvesting and handling: Harvesting and handling methods of fresh fruit and vegetables go hand in hand with
maturity and other quality characteristics. The fruit or vegetable should be harvested at the desired stage of maturity
and should be delivered to the processing plant immediately to preserve the quality. Important post harvest factors
affecting quality of the produce are given in Table-16.2.

Table-16.2: Post harvest factors affecting quality of fruit and vegetables.

Post harvest factors Quality affected

1. Temperature Off flavour, weight loss and wilting in leafy vegetable and reduces vitamin
C content.

Reduces the appearance of fruit by checking the carotenoid development.

2. Heat of respiration Deteriorates the quality and speed up the growth of micro-organisms during
storage.
3.Cleaning & washing Cleaning (fruits) and washing (root vegetables) remove dirt and spray
residue and provide good appearance
4. Grading Processed product must be graded to maintain uniformity in size, shape and
quality
5. Chemical treatment Treatment with ethaphon and alar increases colour and reduces astringency.
6. Pre-cooling Reduces weight loss and maintain freshness and appearance
7. Hot water treatment Provides protection against diseases e.g. anthracnose in mango

(5) Processing: The important factors that must be carefully controlled during the processing of fruits and vegetables
include efficiency of washing, trimming, cutting, inspecting and sorting, time and temperature of blanch or scald, fill
weights, brine or syrup characteristics, closing machine vacuums, can seam formation and processing time (cooking
and cooling times

Techniques for Quality Control

Following procedures are followed for quality control of processed products:

1. Identify the critical points in the process flow sheet which contributes to the major quality characteristics.
2. Sample each critical point (batch or continuous operation) and identify what is being sampled and to what
extent it is critical.
3. Evaluate and relate quality at critical successive stages to costs and its application in field.
4. Relate costs to deviation from specified levels.
5. Evaluate data collected against standards and legal requirements.
6. Provide consistent system for the orderly continuous evaluation of quality from the selection of raw
material through different stages of processing.
7. Diagnose problems and predict troubles before they occur.
8. Determine the extent of drifts and shifts in production and minimize or localize deficiencies.
9. Evolve a system to determine how well the quality control program is succeeding.

Quality control during processing

The sequence of operations in quality control followed during processing are as under:

1. Raw material control

2. Process control or the control of the manufacturing process
3. Production and processing inspection
4. Sensory evaluation
5. Packaging
6. Labeling and storage.

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1) Raw material control: The quality of a food material is judged in terms of its nutritional value, purity,
wholesomeness and palatability. If any of these properties is not optimal, the food quality is affected. Raw material
examinations include test for genuineness and composition, freedom from contaminant, and conformity with
official or factory standards.
The manufacturing of a desired food product depends upon the close collaboration between plant breeders,
agronomists, horticulturists and food technologists. After all parameters of raw materials are met, a sample batch of
raw materials is put through a trial run to get a preview of the end product. All control tests are run on the sample
and any adjustments as required are made in the processed product. The equipment is examined for any sign of
corrosion due to the acidity or alcohol content of the materials used. Approval for processing is given only after all
quality specifications on the sample run have been met.

2) Process control: During processing, attention should be given to the processing procedure. In order to get the
product of desired quality, all treatments standardized such as use of correct amount of ingredients, use of accurate
method of preparation, mixing, processing time and temperature etc should be followed. The quality control tests
should run continuously and concurrently with a 24-hr production schedule. The intermediary samples are taken for
routine tests to establish that specific targets of quality are being achieved. The desired composition, consistency,
colour and concentration are checked and ensured. Where processing controls are not properly employed e.g.,
during dehydration, the quality of the product may be seriously impaired. Satisfactory hygienic conditions are also
maintained during processing, in order to protect the product from bacterial contamination.

3) Production, processing inspection: Examination of the finished product is carried out to determine as to what
extent the desired quality specifications have been achieved. Careful inspection is made of the external conditions
of the can. A can where both ends are concave is said to be ‘flat’ and is said to be good while the cans which have
the problem of flipper, springer or smell do not pass inspection.
In case of canned products, a sample of the passed cans is opened and the contents are inspected. Where the product
is dried, samples are examined for a blemish count. The dried product is regularly checked for its reconstitution
value to enable the correct cooking instructions to be supplied on the package for the user.
Tests are also performed to check certain physical properties, such as crispiness, colour, viscosity and texture.
Microbiological examinations are carried out to check whether proper hygienic procedures have been followed and
whether the finished product is safe to eat or not.

4) Sensory evaluation: After physical, chemical and microbiological examination have been performed on a
finished product with a satisfactory result, the product is considered ready for distribution, but only after its sensory
quality has been assessed. To the processor, a palatable product ensures sales because palatability attracts
consumers and to the consumer, palatability satisfies his gustatory senses.

5) Packaging: The primary purpose of manufacture is to produce a food product, to keep it in good condition and
to preserve the flavour until it reaches the consumer. Therefore, it is essential that a suitable packaging material is
chosen for packing a finished product. The material used for packaging must not contaminate the product and must
be effective in preventing the product from deterioration. A variety of containers have also been designed to handle
products that are sensitive to light, temperature, oxygen, moisture and contact with the chemicals.

6) Labeling and storage: After packing, labels are pasted on the finished products which are intended for sale. The
information on the label shall include name of product, ingredients used, date of manufacture, name and address of
the manufacturer, sale price, net weight or volume etc. A good and an attractive label is an aid to the successful
marketing of the product. The product should be stored in a cool and dry place.

Critical control points of inspection

The critical control points of inspection followed during canning of foods in syrup are as under:

1. Raw material: The important material used is fruit sugar and citric acid. Water used in making syrup should be
suitable for purpose of canning.

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• Fruit: Variety, maturity, extent of spoilage or damage, pesticide residues, deterioration in handling and
storage, potential contamination etc.
• Sugar and citric acid with respect to physical and chemical characteristics.

2. Tin containers

• Type of tin plate, weight of tin coating, side seam, and double seam accuracy.

3. Washing of fruits

• Quality of water

4. Preparation of fruit

• Efficiency of preparatory operations like peeling, slicing, coring, trimming and freedom from damaged or
diseased portion.
• Uniformity with respect to colour, texture and maturity.

5. Preparation of syrup

• Calculation of strength of covering syrup required in relation to total soluble solids in fruit, filled weight of
slices, weight of covering syrup added and cut-out degree brix required in the finished product.
• Control of weight, temperature and uniformity of strength at the time of filling.

6. Filling: The coefficient of variation in the weight of empty cans is generally about 4%. The fill-in-weight of fruit
required to get the desired drained weight in the canned product should be carefully determined.

7. Exhausting: Periodic checks should be made to ensure that the cans coming out of the exhaust box have attained
the desired can centre temperature. It has direct relation to ultimate vacuum and is related to shelf life and behavior
at different altitudes.

8. Container closure operation

• Protection of empty containers

• Cleaning of containers before filling
• Maintenance of can seamers
• Measurement of can seams

9. Processing

• According to good manufacturing practices

• Pasting of process schedules near retorts
• Recording of retorting operation

10. Cooling Water

• Microbiological quality
• Chlorine content

11. Post process handling

• Prevention of filled containers from damage and contamination

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• Cooling
• Warehousing-temperature, humidity etc.

12. Clean up and sanitation

13. Steam quality

14. Examination of finished product

15. Sanitation control

• Sampling
• Location
• Visual appearance
• Microbiological level
• Rating-good, fair or poor.

16. General inspection

• Raw material receiving department

• Product preparation area
• Packing and dispatching area
• Windows, doors, wall surfaces, floor etc.

Similarly, critical control points (CCP) for other processed products can be worked out.

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