This document provides information on post-harvest handling of litchi fruits. It discusses cleaning, sorting, packaging, cooling and storage as important post-harvest processes to reduce losses. Litchi is highly perishable and prone to water loss and browning. Proper harvesting, sorting, packaging and storage in controlled atmosphere at low temperatures can extend shelf life. Transportation requires maintaining the cool chain. Key production countries include China, India and Vietnam.

1. A Z Q A A Z H A R
1 2 - A R I D - 1 9 3
POST-HARVEST
HANDLING OF LITCHI

2. POST-HARVEST HANDLING
• Post-harvest handling reduce the product loss to
spoilage or shrinkage will reduce microbial risk
this include:
1. Cleaning
2. Sorting
3. Packaging
4. Cooling
5. Storage
6. transportation

3. LITCHI
• Botanical name: litchi chinensis
• Family: Sapindaceae
• Classified as drupe fruit
• Highly perishable in nature
• Fruit is prone to water loss
• Pericarp browning
• 25-40% post harvest losses

4. STATUS OF LITCHI PRODUCTION
• Pakistan produces 3000 tons of litchi which is 0.31% of
world production.
• China is the major producer of litchi
• Other than china India, Vietnam, Thailand, Madagascar,
Taiwan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Australia, Mexico, south
Africa are the producer of litchi.

5. ESTIMATED WORLD LITCHI
PRODUCTION
1,446,000
india
vietnam
thailand
madagascar
taiwan
bangladesh
nepal
australia
mexico
south africa

6. POST-HARVEST HANDLING
• Harvesting:
• Indices used to judge maturity
 Maturity indices:
Red color of fruit along with 25mm in diameter fruit size
Reaching the optimum range of sugar
Litchi should be harvested fully-ripe because they do not
continue to ripen after harvest

7. CONTINUE….
• Quality indices:
Bright red color with no brown discoloration
Sweet and juicy aril (edible portion)
Soluble solid ; acid ratio of 30 or higher
Free from defects and from decay
Litchi are excellent source of vitamin C (40 to
90mg/100g fresh weight)

8. CONTINUE….
• Harvesting is carried out by removing whole panicles
using secateurs , or by cutting or twisting the stem.
• The clusters are usually clipped with a portion of stem
and leaves.
• Harvest early in the morning or late in afternoon
maximizes water content.
• It should be done every 3-4 days over a period of 3-4
weeks.
• Cherry picker and elevated picking platform, along with
ladders are generally used for harvesting.

10. SORTING & GRADING
• Product quality is maintained by removing damaged and
inferior fruit during sorting

11. CONTINUE….
• Grading separated fruits into different grades to suit
different markets.
• It depend on market requirements, but are normally
based on fruit size and color.
• The damaged , sun-burnt and cracked fruits and sorted
out.

12. CONTINUE…..

13. PACKING
• domestic markets litchi is usually packed in small
bamboo baskets or wooden crates.
• These are lined with litchi leaves or other soft packing
material as paper shavings, wood-wool, etc.
• Proper packing of fruits is important in maintaining
freshness and quality and preventing fruit decay during
transit for marketing to distant places

14. CONTINUE…..
• A good box for packing fruits should be light in weight
,shallow and rigid enough to protect the fruits
• It should have few holes for ventilation and rope handles
on either side for lifting the box.
• Fruits are packed in clusters along with few leaves

15. PACKAGING

16. EFFECT OF PACKAGES (AFTER 6 DAYS)

17. STORAGE
• The fruits cannot be stored at room temperature for more
than a few days.
• It loses its bright red color and turns brown within 2 – 3
days after harvesting.
• Mature litchi fruits can be stored for a period of 8 to 12
weeks at the temp. of 1.6 to 1.70C and relative humidity
ranging between 85 to 90%

18. CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE
CONSIDERATIONS
• An atmosphere of 3 to 5% O2 + 5% CO2 is
recommended at 5 to 7°C .
• Rate of etylene should be less than 0.5 µl/kg·hr at 20°C
(68°F).
• Ethylene may accelerate deterioration of lychee fruits
(aril breakdown and increased decay.
• Benefits include reduced skin browning and
polyphenoloxidase activity and slower rates of losses of
ascorbic acid, acidity, and soluble solids.
• Exposure to oxygen levels below 1% and/or carbon
dioxide levels above 15% may induce off-flavors and dull
gray appearance of the pulp.

19. TRANSPORTATION
• The fruit along with twigs is packed and transported by
truck to the wholesalers and retailers of the nearest
towns.
• During transit care should be taken to avoid crushing of
fruits and damage of the skin.
• Litchi being a highly perishable fruit, its marketing should
be done as early as possible.

20. COOL CHAIN
Cool chain is essential during the transport of export quality
commodity all the way from the farm to the customer.
• This helps in maintaining the temperature inside the box
at the same low level as in the cold storage.

21. CONTINUE…..
• The various stages of the cool chain are:
 Cold store at the farm.
 Refrigerated truck from farm to the airport
 Cold store at the airport.
 Building up of the pallet in a cold store at the airport.
 Loading the aircrafts directly from the cold store in a
short time.
 Cargo aircraft maintains cold store temperature in hold.
 Off loading direct into a cold store in the receiving
country.
 Refrigerated truck to the customers.

22. PROCESSING
• Processing of lychee is done in different forms. Canning
of pulp, aseptic packing and ready to serve lychee juice
are common.
• Dried lychee processing is not in practice. Pulp of
lychee is aseptically packed and stored at 2-3°C for
preparing lychee juice

24. MARKETING
• A substantial amount of lychee produced in the country
is consumed locally.
• Lychee, being highly perishable, is available for very
short duration.
•
• Marketing of fruits is done in different forms. Growers
rent their orchards to contractors, who in turn harvest
and sell to local markets.

25. INSECT PEST OF LITCHI
• Litchi moth
• Litchi stink bug
• Nut borer
• Mediterranean fruit fly
• Shot hole borer

26. DISORDERS
• PHYSIOLOGICAL & PHYSICAL DISORDERERS
• Pericarp Browning. : Water loss (desiccation) of lychees
results in brown spots on the bright-red shell (pericarp). Under
severe conditions or prolonged exposure, the spots enlarge
and coalesce until the surface is completely brown. The flavor
of the arils within browned fruit may or may not be adversely
affected. Packaging in polymeric films reduces water loss and
browning severity.
• Chilling injury. Symptoms include pericarp browning (similar
to that caused by water loss) and increased susceptibility to
decay. Storage at 1°C (34°F) for 12 days before transfer to
20°C (68°F) for one day resulted in pericarp browning.
Pericarp split (cracking). Incidence and severity of cracking
depend on cultivar and desiccation during storage. Cracks
provide an entry way for decay-causing pathogens.

27. • PATHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
• Decay-inducing pathogens include Alternaria sp.,
Aspergillus sp., Botryodiplodia sp., Colletotrichum sp.
and various yeasts.
Decay control can be achieved by reducing physical
injuries to fruits and by prompt cooling and maintenance
of the optimum temperature and relative humidity during
lychee marketing.
Other decay control treatments under consideration
include use of a 10-15% CO2-enriched atmosphere and
biological control.

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