Hot water treatments

Hot water treatments
    Hot Water Treatments
    ‘Dipping of fruits in hot water of specific temperature for specified periods for the purpose of disease control, insect disinfestations or uniform ripening’ is known as hot water treatment.
    Hot water was originally used for fungal control, but has been extended to disinfestations of insects. Hot water treatment is an approved quarantine treatment for export of many fruits and vegetables against pests. However, for insect disinfestations a longer treatment is necessary than for fungal control. The times of immersion can be 1 hour or more and temperatures are below 50°C. It also adds other additional advantages such as – removal of surface residues, removal of sap fallen on the fruit surface during harvesting and facilitates washing.

    Many post harvest diseases can be controlled by immersing the fruits in hot water before storage or marketing. Hot water treatment along with fungicides is more effective at 51-550C for 5-30 min. depending upon the size of the fruit.

    Crop

    Problem

    Temp. (0C)

    Duration (min.)

    Mango

    Anthracnose/
    Stem end rot

    55

    5

    Sweet potato


    40

    2

    Blue berries


    46-55

    3

    In mango, fruit should not be treated with hot water for 48 hr when the produce is drenched in rain at harvesting or immediately before harvesting to reduce the damage caused by brushing.

Last modified: Monday, 12 December 2011, 5:33 AM