| Peaches/nectarines | [German version] |
Table of contents |
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| General: | ||
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Product information | |
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Packaging | |
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Transport | |
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Container transport | |
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Cargo securing | |
Product information
Product name
| German | Pfirsiche, Nektarinen |
| English | Peaches, nectarines |
| French | Pêches, nectarines |
| Spanish | Melocotónes, nectarinas |
| Scientific | Prunus persica var. laevis |
| CN/HS number * | 0809 30 ff. |
(* EU Combined Nomenclature/Harmonized System)
Product description
Peaches (Prunus persica) belong to the Pruonoideae subfamily of the rose family (Rosaceae). Originally from China, they reached Europe via Japan and Persia.
Peaches, like cherries, plums, apricots, mangoes and avocados, are stone fruit. Stone fruit are indehiscent fruit which have fleshy pulp containing a hard stone in the middle which encloses the seed.
Depending upon the type of skin and the ease with which the stone may be removed from the pulp, four groups are distinguished:
| 1. Skin: | velvety (peach) | smooth, hard (nectarines) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2. Removability of stone | easy (freestone) |
difficult (clingstone) |
easy (freestone) |
difficult (clingstone) |
Quality / Duration of storage
Completely ripe fruit with a fully developed aroma and color are virtually untransportable.
If the skin is dry, the fruit are brushed, washed and air dried. If the fruit are placed in the cold store without being cleaned, they cannot subsequently be brushed as the moist skin would otherwise be damaged.
Peaches with damaged skin or mold growth must not be loaded as the resultant rot would also reduce the quality of sound fruit. The peaches should also have no foreign odors and flavors.
Maximum duration of storage is as follows:
| Temperature | Rel. humidity | Max. duration of storage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 – 1°C | 95% | 14 – 28 days | [1] |
| 0 – 3°C | 90% | 10 – 40 days | [2] |
| -1 – 0°C | 90% | 14 – 28 days | [3] |
| -1 – 0°C | 90% | 14 days (early ripening varieties) | [5] |
| -1 – 0°C | 90% | 48 days (late ripening varieties) | [5] |
| 0°C | 90 – 95% | 3 – 4 weeks | [39] |
Where controlled atmosphere transport is used, transport and storage duration may be extended. The following parameters apply in such a case [16]:
| Temperature | Rel. humidity | O2 | CO2 | Suitability for controlled atmosphere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 – 1.7°C | 90 – 95% | 2% | 5% | good |
Intended use
Peaches are principally intended to be eaten fresh. They are also processed for the production of juices, preserves, jams, ice-cream, canned fruit etc.
Figures
(Click on the individual Figures to enlarge them.)
 Figure 1 |
 Figure 2 |
Countries of origin
This Table shows only a selection of the most important countries of origin and should not be thought of as exhaustive.
| Europe | Italy, Greece, Netherlands, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain |
| Africa | South Africa |
| Asia | |
| America | Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, USA |
| Australia | Australia, New Zealand |
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Packaging
Peaches are packaged in quantities of 7 – 10 kg in flat, single-layer wooden fruit crates with specially shaped plastic or paper inserts.
 Figure 3 |
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Transport
Symbols
 General cargo |
 Temperature-controlled |
Means of transport
Ship, aircraft, truck, railroad
Container transport
Refrigerated container with fresh air supply or controlled atmosphere.
Cargo handling
Because of its impact- and pressure-sensitivity, the fruit has to be handled with appropriate care.
The required refrigeration temperature must always be maintained, even during cargo handling.
In damp weather (rain, snow), the cargo must be protected from moisture, as there is otherwise a risk of premature spoilage.
Stowage factor
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3.20 m3/t (fruit crates) [1] |
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2.55 – 3.54 m3/t (fruit crates and baskets) [14] |
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4.00 m3/t (palletized cartons) [39] |
Stowage space requirements
Cool, dry, good ventilation
Segregation
Fiber rope, thin fiber nets, wooden dunnage
Cargo securing
Because of its considerable impact- and pressure-sensitivity, packages of this cargo must be secured in such a way that they are prevented from damaging each other. Spaces between packages or pallets must be filled, to prevent slippage or tipping. By selecting the correct packaging size or cargo unit (area module or area module multiple), holds can be tightly loaded (without spaces).
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Risk factors and loss prevention
RF Temperature
Peaches require particular temperature, humidity/moisture and ventilation conditions (SC VII) (storage climate conditions).
A written cooling order must be obtained from the consignor before loading is begun. This order must always be complied with during the entire transport chain.
The following Tables merely constitute an estimate of appropriate temperature ranges. Temperatures may deviate from these values, depending on the particular transport conditions.
| Designation | Temperature range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Travel temperature | 0 – 1°C | [1] |
| 0 – 3°C | [2] | |
| -1 – 0°C | [3] | |
| -1 – 0°C | [5] | |
| -0.5 – 0.5°C | [14] | |
| -0.5 – 0.5°C | [39] |
Peaches should be precooled as soon as possible after harvest in order to prevent or delay any degradation of quality. Holds/containers should also be precooled prior to loading.
Inadequate cooling or excessively long storage may result in spoilage, loss of aroma, mealy-dry consistency and insipid flavor. If storage is excessively long, the fruit turns brown from the stone outwards, which is not evident from the outside.
At 2 – 8°C, peaches suffer „wooliness“, a physiological disorder. The fruit becomes dry and mealy. Riper fruit have a lesser tendency to wooliness than do unripe fruit.
Chilling damage may occur at temperatures of < 0°C, such damage primarily being manifested as:
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„Breakdown“: the fruits lose their natural clear color, become dry and mealy and brown spots appear on the surface of the skin. In severe cases, the pulp around the stone becomes watery and may ultimately break down completely. |
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„Softness“: on arrival at their destination, the peaches have an abnormally high moisture content, while the pulp around the stone is unripe. |
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„Unripeness“: if the temperatures during transport were too low or the fruit were picked too early, they no longer ripen properly at their destination. |
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RF Humidity/Moisture
Peaches require particular temperature, humidity/moisture and ventilation conditions (SC VII) (storage climate conditions).
| Designation | Humidity/water content | Source |
| Relative humidity | 95% | [1] |
| 90% | [2] | |
| approx. 90% | [3] | |
| 90% | [5] | |
| 85 – 90% | [14] | |
| 90 – 95% | [39] | |
| Water content | approx. 85 – 88% | [1] |
| Maximum equilibrium moisture content | 90% | [1] |
Since peaches have a tendency to dry out, care should be taken to comply exactly with the recommended humidity.
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RF Ventilation
Peaches require particular temperature, humidity/moisture and ventilation conditions (SC VII) (storage climate conditions).
Recommended ventilation conditions:
According to [1]: circulating air, 60 – 80 circulations/hour with continuous supply of fresh air
According to [14]: circulating air, 40 – 60 circulations/hour with continuous supply of fresh air
The supply of fresh air is determined in accordance with the CO2 content of the hold air and should be adjusted such that the permissible CO2 content of 0.5 vol.% is not exceeded.
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RF Biotic activity
Peaches display 2nd order biotic activity.
They are living organs in which respiration processes predominate, because their supply of new nutrients has been cut off by separation from the parent plant.
Care of the cargo during the voyage must be aimed at controlling respiration processes (release of CO2, water vapor, ethylene and heat) in such a way that the cargo is at the desired stage of ripeness on reaching its destination. Inadequate ventilation may result in fermentation and rotting of the cargo as a result of increased CO2 levels and inadequate supply of atmospheric oxygen (see Ventilation).
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RF Gases
| CO2 evolution | at 0°C: 4.8 mg/kg*h [1] |
| Upper limit of permissible CO2 content | 0.5 vol.% [1] |
| Ethylene evolution | |
| Active behavior | Peaches at the climacteric produce large quantities of ethylene, the ethylene production rate being 10 – 100 µl/kg*h [16]. |
| Passive behavior | The sensitivity of peaches to ethylene may be classified as high [16]. They must not therefore be stored together with ethylene-producing goods (allelopathy). |
In fresh fruit, metabolic processes continue even after harvesting. The fruit absorbs oxygen (O2) and excretes varying amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethylene (C2H4) as well as aromatic compounds during the conversion of starch into sugar (ripening process).
If ventilation has been inadequate (frost) or has failed owing to a defect, life-threatening CO2 concentrations or O2 shortages may arise. Therefore, before anybody enters the hold, it must be ventilated and a gas measurement carried out. The TLV for CO2 concentration is 0.49 vol.%.
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RF Self-heating / Spontaneous combustion
No risk.
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RF Odor
| Active behavior | Peaches have a very slight, pleasant odor. |
| Passive behavior | Peaches are highly odor-sensitive. |
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RF Contamination
| Active behavior | Peaches do not cause contamination |
| Passive behavior | Peaches are sensitive to dust, dirt, fats and oils. The holds or containers must accordingly be clean and in a thoroughly hygienic condition before loading. |
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RF Mechanical influences
When completely ripe with a fully developed flavor and color, peaches are very sensitive to mechanical influences. Only a few varieties are sufficiently robust to be able to withstand even relatively long periods of transport.
Due to the fruit’s sensitivity to pressure and impact, picking is entirely manual. Peaches are packaged in only one layer in specially shaped paper inserts in trays in order to protect them from damage and consequent premature spoilage during transport.
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RF Toxicity / Hazards to health
If ventilation has been inadequate (frost) or has failed owing to a defect, life-threatening CO2 concentrations or O2 shortages may arise. Therefore, before anybody enters the hold, it must be ventilated and a gas measurement carried out. The TLV for CO2 concentration is 0.49 vol.%.
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RF Shrinkage/Shortage
The normal weight loss due to a reduction in the moisture content of the product is < 1% [1].
Losses of volume caused by breakage are less when the cargo is packaged in cartons than when it is packaged in boxes.
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RF Insect infestation / Diseases
Peach stones have a tendency to crack: the fruit is then driven apart by the cracked stone, grows greatly in width and takes on a pronounced bilobate appearance („carton disease“).
Peaches are sometimes attacked by blue mold rot and gray mold rot. However, the risk is not as high as with cherries or plums. Blue mold rot may be recognized by the formation of a small, circular, slightly indented spot of rot on the fruit. Beneath this spot, the pulp is very moist and light brown. Small creases very quickly form, in which a white, subsequently blue-green, covering of very dusty mold is formed. Finally, the fruit decays. Gray mold rot is caused by the mold Botrytis cinerea and is thus also known as Botrytis rot. The mold also attacks completely healthy fruit. The mold grows best at 24°C, but is still capable of growing and causing rot even at a temperature of 0°C.
 Figure 4 |
 Figure 5 |
The molds Monilia and Rhizopus, which are typical of stone fruits, also occur.
 Figure 6 |
Peaches are also attacked by the San José scale. Since this is a quarantine pest, such fruit cannot be exported.
The quarantine regulations of the country of destination must be complied with and a phytosanitary certificate may have to be enclosed with the shipping documents. Information may be obtained from the phytosanitary authorities of the countries concerned.
Chilling damage may occur at temperatures of < 0°C, such damage primarily being manifested as:
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„Breakdown“: the fruits lose their natural clear color, become dry and mealy and brown spots appear on the surface of the skin. In severe cases, the pulp around the stone becomes watery and may ultimately break down completely. |
|
„Softness“: on arrival at their destination, the peaches have an abnormally high moisture content, while the pulp around the stone is unripe. |
|
„Unripeness“: if the temperatures during transport were too low or the fruit were picked too early, they no longer ripen properly at their destination. |
At 2 – 8°C, peaches suffer „wooliness“, a physiological disorder. The fruit becomes dry and mealy. Riper fruit have a lesser tendency to wooliness than do unripe fruit.
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