Most fresh vegetables retain their top quality for only a few days. All green vegetables of high water content are best when fresh. If allowed to stand long after gathering, the vegetables become wilted and tough through loss of moisture. The flavour is also impaired. One reason for the short storage life of many vegetables is that they are rapidly respiring.
Most fresh green vegetables may be kept fresh and crisp in covered containers or plastic bags in the refrigerator. If they are washed before storing they should be drained thoroughly because too much moisture can increase the possibility of a spoilage and decay.
Loss of water: Transpiration loss of water is one of the main processes that affects the commercial and physiological deterioration of vegetables after harvest. The moisture loss adversely affects the appearance, texture, flavor and weight of the products. Most noticeable effect of moisture is the softening of the tissues caused by loss of turgidity.
Respiration and metabolism: Respiration uses the stored food, leading to its depletion and consequently the loss of quality. Hence, storage life of vegetables is influenced by rate of respiration and is associated with biochemical activity. The low respiring commodities have a long shelf life in contrast to the short life of high respiring commodities.
Microbial spoilage: Vegetables are susceptible to the action of a variety of micro-organisms, thereby leading to substantial decay losses during post-harvest handling.
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