Addressing losses of fresh produce grown in the Latin America and the caribbean region due to non-compliance with quality and safety requirements in export markets
J.M. Fonseca, D.N. Njie
Acta Horticulturae 1016: 179-185.
2014
บทคัดย่อ
An analysis for the non-compliance of fruits and vegetables grown in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with state regulations and quality requirements in international markets was conducted. A review of United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data showed that the major reasons for rejection of the LAC fresh fruits and vegetables are dirtiness, pesticide residues and product/labels with insufficient information. Moreover, information from various private entities and literature was examined to determine the state of postharvest technology used in LAC to assure quality of fresh produce. The study evidenced that LAC countries with few exceptions continue to use limited technology for reducing postharvest losses, which includes low cold chain capacity when compared to the industrialized countries. The diverse range of logistics limitations in export supply chain, such as cold chain breaks at sea ports pose a high risk to the quality of products reaching international buyers. Using a case study with export pineapples, the importance of identifying the cumulative impact of multiple handling failures is revealed. Solutions to reduce losses in export markets due to non-compliance with safety and quality requirements are provided.