NSW DPI horticulture postharvest and market access group

NSW Department of Primary Industries has been active for over 60 years in Australian postharvest horticulture. The Postharvest and Market Access is located at the Gosford Primary Industries Institute.

Areas of expertise

The Postharvest and Market Access Group consists of eleven researchers and technical support staff. It has expertise in a range of postharvest areas:

• quality assurance
• market access
• postharvest physiology
• pathology
• food safety
• environmental assurance
• education and training.

Postharvest technology - what it can do

Poor handling of produce lowers market quality and can substantially reduce producer returns. The annual value of losses for produce from NSW alone has been estimated at over $50 million. In addition, large intangible losses to the community can arise from consumer dissatisfaction with poor quality. Postharvest technology aims to address some of these issues by optimising quality and safety, and by reducing waste.

• Increased market access is an important goal of the horticultural industries. Improved handling methods and the resolution of regulatory requirements allow access to more distant domestic markets and overseas markets.
• New horticultural industries develop new products, but the best way to handle and store these new products is often unknown. Timely study of the postharvest behaviour of new products can prevent costly market failures.
• Existing horticultural industries need improved varieties and technology to compete in the marketplace and to satisfy customers. Improved varieties, like new products, require best practice postharvest handling.
• Changes in production methods can also affect postharvest behaviour and product quality.

Group mission

The role of the Postharvest and Market Access Group is to assist the New South Wales and Australian horticultural industries by:

• improving the quality and value of horticultural crops available to the consumer;
• reducing postharvest losses and improving marketing efficiency;
• solving particular problems in the handling, transport and storage of fruits, vegetables and ornamentals to maintain their quality and ensure their safety, and to gain access to new markets.

Resources

The Postharvest and Market Access Group has a range of well-equipped physiology, pathology and disinfestation laboratories, as well as packinghouse equipment, coolrooms and controlled atmosphere facilities on-site at Narara.

Profiles

Quality assurance

Joseph Ekman is the extension officer linking postharvest research and development to industry quality management systems. His background in the postharvest area enables him to transfer research and development outcomes into HACCP-based* quality system codes of practice, guidelines and training packages that include aspects of product quality, food safety and environmental management. Joseph works with horticulture industry groups to facilitate the design, development and implementation of Freshcare and other quality systems throughout the supply chain via extension and training program development and delivery.

* HACCP: hazard analysis critical control points

Pathology

Dr Elena Lazar has a wide interest in biological control of postharvest pathogens affecting a range of horticultural crops. She has vast experience in storage pathogens in cherries, plums, lettuce, potatoes and apples. In addition, Elena is interested in the biochemical aspects of host defence mechanisms.

Physiology

Dr Suzie Newman has 10 years’ experience in horticultural research and development, working on a range of crops including apples, kiwifruit, stone fruit and ornamentals. She is also interested in the effect of the preharvest environment on postharvest quality. Suzie is currently working on developing postharvest handling guidelines for the export of Asian vegetables, improving the storage quality of ‘Sundowner’ apples, and identifying opportunities to enhance the quality of greenhouse-grown cucumbers.

Dr John Golding has extensive experience in postharvest horticulture in a range of horticultural crops, including summerfruit, cherries and apples. His particular interests include the management of ripening and the maintenance of all facets of quality during storage, particularly aroma production. Current research projects include controlled-atmosphere storage experiments, summerfruit storage life, and cherry quality and storage.

Market access

Andrew Jessup has vast experience and expertise in disinfestation and market access issues. His primary research interest is in obtaining access to both domestic and export markets where insect quarantine issues are a problem. Insects of quarantine concern include fruit flies, moths, mites, aphids and thrips. Andrew is also responsible for the production, packaging and dispatch of insects for the fruit fly sterile insect release program.

Dr Jenny Ekman is interested in the practical application of postharvest technology in order to improve market access for various crops. She has previously worked on quantifying the relationship between storage life and respiration of crops including melons, mushrooms, grapes, broccoli and capsicums, as well as on the non-chemical disinfestation of cherries, walnuts and pecans and on the effect of the storage environment on the quality of apples, pears and strawberries. Currently, Jenny is working on developing market opportunities for the export of cut flowers and vegetables. Jenny’s other research interest is improving market access for Asian vegetables and other horticultural produce.

Technical support

Postharvest

Dr Shashi Satyan, Dr. Wei Liang, Ben Jarvis.

Market access

David Daniels, Teresa Wellham, Wayne Pitt, Matthew Pearse.

Selected current projects

• Postharvest at Work – The 2007 Australasian Postharvest Conference
• Freshcare review and implementation
• Freshcare Environmental Code of Practice
• Assessment of an alternative ‘non-chemical’ summerfruit disinfestation procedure
• Evaluation of new shipping technology for Australian vegetables 
• Dielectric heating – An innovative way to gain market access 
• Improving market access for Asian vegetables
• Essential oil - an alternative for postharvest disease control
• Improvement of vegetable production and postharvest management systems in Cambodia and Australia

Services available

The NSW Postharvest and Market Access Group can carry out the full range of research and development work that may be required in the area of postharvest and marketing. The work can be carried out in Australia and overseas, on a project basis or by consultancy. Areas of particular expertise include the following:

• assisting with the preparation and installation of quality management systems;
• conducting training courses in quality management;
• conducting training courses in postharvest technology;
• trialling new packaging material and technology;
• conducting storage trials of produce under various conditions;
• quality specification;
• training wholesale and retail fruit and vegetable staff, and preparing posters, videos and other training material.

Map and contact details

NSW Agriculture Gosford Horticultural Institute

Postharvest and Market Access Group

NSW DPI
Gosford Primary Industries Institute
Centre of Excellence for Market Access and Greenhouse Horticulture
Locked Bag 26
Gosford  NSW  2250
Australia
Tel:  +61 (02) 4348 1900
Fax:  +61 (02) 4348 1910

Current selected publications

Ekman J.H. and Worrall R. (2005) Getting the best from the bush - factors affecting postharvest quality of pink waxflower (Eriostemon australasius) and NSW Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum). Acta Horticulturae, 687: 193-200.
Ekman J.H., Golding J.B., and McGlasson W.B. (2005) Innovations in cold storage technologies. Stewart Postharvest Review, 3:6.
Golding J.B., Ekman J.H. and McGlasson, W.B. (2005) Regulation of fruit ripening. Stewart Postharvest Review, 3:5.
Guidelines for on-Farm Food Safety for Fresh Produce, AFFA 2004.
Freshcare Environmental Code of Practice, Freshcare Ltd (2006).
Jessup A.J., Carswell I.F., Dalton S.P. (1998) Disinfestation of fresh fruits from B. tryoni with combination mild heat and modified atmosphere packing. Australian Journal of Entomology. 37: 186-188.
Lazar, E.E., Ku, V.V., Hetherington, S.D., Harris, A., and Newman, S.M. (2007) The effect of essential oils on the growth of postharvest pathogen Monilinia fructicola. Journal of Esssential Oil Research, Submitted for publication.
Nissen, R. J. George, A. P. Broadley, R. H. Hetherington, S. Newman, S. M. (2006) Developing improved supply chains for temperate fruits in transitional Asian economies of Thailand and Vietnam. Acta Horticulturae, 699: 335-342.
Ekman, J. H. Golding, J.B. (2006) Preliminary evaluation of storage technologies for broccoli, cauliflower and head lettuces Acta Horticulturae, 712, 201-208.
Pristijono, P. Wills, R. B. H. and Golding, J.B. (2006) Inhibition of browning on the surface of apple slices by short term exposure to nitric oxide (NO) gas. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 42, 256-259.