Surinam
Long Egg-plant Packed for Export
Surinam
Long Egg-plant Packed for Export
Alternate name: Aubergine
Chief Caribbean Producers
Barbados, Trinidad, Antigua, Grenada.
Varieties
Black Beauty, Suriname Long Purple
Caribbean Season
Quality Criteria
The fruits of eggplant should be dark purple, firm and glossy, with a green calyx and stem. Dull and shrivelled skin and browning of the calyx are indicative of excessive water loss and aging. Optimum size for the Black Beauty on the UK and Holland market is a diameter of 12 cm (5"), while the optimum length of the Surlname Long Purple is 25 to 35cm (9"to 14").
If handled correctly and stored under the appropriate conditions, eggplant can be stored for seven to ten days.
Harvesting
Eggplant should be harvested once or twice per week, depending on the variety. Harvesting should be carried out when the fruits have reached maturity. Fruits should be handled with care. Secateurs are required for harvesting and plastic field crates for collection and transport to packing facilities. Harvesting of eggplant during rainy or wet conditions should be avoided where possible. On harvesting, 2.5 and 5 cm (1" and 2") of stem should be left attached to the fruits of Black Beauty and the Long Purple types, respectively. Oversized, damaged, insect and fungal affected fruit are to be removed from the plant, and outgraded in the field. Field crates should be light in color ventilated and shallow; overfilling is to be avoided. When full, crates should be placed in the shade and prevented from becoming wet. Sacks or bags are not to be used as fruits will develop mechanical damage and heat build-up will occur. During transfer from the field to the packhouse, the eggplants should be shielded from the elements, but have sufficient ventilation to prevent heat build-up.
Due to the perishable nature of eggplant, harvesting is preferred on the day preceding or on the day of shipment, particularly if cool storage facilities a particularly if cool storage facilities are unavailable.
Grading and Packing
Fruits should be transferred from the field crates to the export carton. The eggplant are wiped clean with a damp cloth to remove soil and residues. The cloth should be regularly rinsed in a solution of 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite. All fruits showing signs of over-maturity (yellowing of the skin), decay, rots, soft spots, sunscald, insect damage, excessive scars, cracks, sunken areas, bruises, transit rub or other mechanical damage, badly mis-shapen or immature, are to be rejected in the field or prior to packing.
Outgrading requirements based on the level of scalding and scabs (caused by aphids, mites, thrips or windscar) vary between the varieties. Black Beauty type eggplants are unacceptable for the export market if scars and scabs are present with dimensions greater than 3 mm (0.1") wide and a cumulative length of 4 cm (1. 5"). Green streaking from the stem is unacceptable in the Black Beauty eggplant. The outgrading requirements for the Long Purple type are slightly less stringent than the Black Beauty. Rejections should be made of Suriname Long purple with light coloured scars exceeding 1.0 cm (0.4") diameter and cumulative length of 7 cm (2.8") and for dark coloured scars exceeding 1.0 cm (0.4") and 9 cm (3.5") cumulative length. The grading may be less severe if the scarring is located around the base of the fruit. located around the base of the fruit. Green streaking from the stem is acceptable.
Size grading into cartons is necessary wllh the Black Beauty eggplant, resulting in small, medium and large categories. All fruit should therefore be of similar size in each carton. Size specifications are given below. Separation of Long Purple into different size grades is not necessary, assuming the fruit are within the required size specifications .
Packaging
Eggplant should be loose packed in full or half-telescopic two-piece fibreboard cartons to net weights of 4.5 to 9 kg (9 to 20 lbs). The larger net weight is suitable for the Long Purple, while lower net weights are preferred for the Black Beauty. Carton bursting strength requirements 200 to 250 lb/in2. Where staples are used in carton construction, care should be taken to ensure complete closure of staples to prevent fruit damage.
Carton internal dimensions:
Eggplants should be room pre-cooled in the export package to 10° to 12°C within 24 hours of harvesting. Relative humidity in the storage rooms should be 85 to 95%. Storage under these conditions will result in a storage life of seven to ten days. High air circulation rates with low relative humidity will cause rapid water loss, resulting inative humidity will cause rapid water loss, resulting in shrivelling and softening of the fruit. Eggplant should never be held in contact with ice as water spotting and Alternaria infection will occur.
Transportation
Eggplants should be transported by air in either aircraft containers or on pallets. Pre-cooling to 12øC prior to transport is advisable although not essential.
Low Temperature
Chilling injury will occur in eggplant during prolonged storage at temperatures below 10øC; rapid quality loss will occur shown by shrivelling, skin and tissue discolouration and increased susceptibility to decay organisms.
Mechanical Damage
Damage caused by overfilling of held crates or cartons, dropping or puncturing by stems will cause mechanical damage leading to rapid decay and microbial infection.
Pathological Factors
Several types of microbial infection are responsible for decay in eggplant.
Alternaria rot. Alternaria rot develops as shallow circular spots with definite margins and dark brown colour. Lesions, usually around 1 cm diameter, may coalesce to form larger areas which penetrate 1 cm or more into the flesh. Decay usually develops around the calyx and surface of the fruits with visible skin breaks. Eggplants which have been in contact with ice or prolonged ggplants which have been in contact with ice or prolonged periods at low temperature (below 8° to 10°C) are susceptlble to Alternaria rot.
Phomopsis. Infection appears anywhere on the fruit as small, circular, tan to light-brown, slightly depressed spots. The spots eventually enlarge to cover up to 5 cm (2") and eventually coalesce to cover the majority of the fruit. The infection penetrates throughout the fruit, resulting in a soft, spongy, light brown decay.
Phomopsis rot of
Egg-Plant
Caribbean Market
UK and Holland
Variety
Black Beauty, Suriname Long Purple
Size
Dark purple, fresh, glossy and unfiform shape.
Condition
ns
Tolerated Scarring
Black Beauty: Maximum 3 mm (0.1") wide with a cumulative length of 4 cm (1.5").
Suriname Long Purple: Light scar - maximum diameter 1 cm (0.4") with a cumulative length of
7 cm (2.8"); dark scar - maximum diameter 1 cm (0.4") with a cumulative length of 9 cm (3.5").
Caribbean Marketing Requirements
Black Beauty eggplant is a market niche crop for which successful sales can be achieved during
December to March. Grading and quality requirements are stringent. The Long Purple eggplant
can be sold year-round in certain markets, although the demand decreases during the period of
June to October.
Handling in Importing Country
Both high and low temperatures found in importing countries during the summer and winter
months will accentuate spoilage. To maximize the marketing period, eggplant should be stored
at 10ø to 12øC. Eggplants stored with ethylene producing crops may show problems with calyx
abscission and prolonged storage with ethylene producing crops should therefore be avoided.