Transportation and Destination Handling

This essential volume in the postharvest series explores the most common methods of transporting fresh produce to market.  Chapters cover refrigerated highway trailers, marine transport, rail transport, and air transport.  Each chapter addresses selection of boxes and or containers, load planning, produce compatibility, temperature regulation, and record keeping.  Additional chapters cover food safety during transportation and finally, handling at the destination market.  This final chapter explores the final steps in reaching the consumer; from farmers markets, to wholesale distribution sites, retail markets, and restaurants and institutions.  

Handy tables throughout illustrate key concepts including compatible produce for long-distance transport, storage and transport temperatures, and ethylene sensitivity.  Key points for success in loading, bracing, and weight regulations are clearly illustrated.

As to food safety; tables clearly break out FDA Sanitary Transportation of Food (STF) rule compliance requirements for all entities in the food handling chain.

Appendix A lays out storage recommendations for produce, storage recommendations for cut flowers and greens and recommended long–term storage conditions for meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products.  Appendix B is a guide to troubleshooting problems in transport, illustrated by helpful color plates.

This is volume 6 in the 10-volume series, Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops, 4th edition.