A “perishable agricultural commodity” is any fresh fruit or vegetable, whether or not frozen or packed in ice, and includes cherries in brine, as defined by the USDA Secretary. 7 U.S.C. The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (“PACA”), 7 U.S.C. §§ 499a-499t, was enacted in 1930 to regulate the marketing of perishable agricultural commodities in interstate and foreign commerce.
Perishable agricultural products are the products that not last long it includes the vegetables and fruits. The perishable products, because of their high moisture content, are inherently more liable to deteriorate, especially under tropical conditions. For each perishable food item, there is a specific time for which it will retain a predefined acceptable level of quality, defined as its ‘shelf life,’ under specific conditions of handling and storage.
Fruits and vegetables provide basic food and nutritionally essential vitamins and trace elements and, moreover, have an important role in improving food flavor and acceptability.
Vegetables and fruits are a living and respiring product that also senesce and dye after harvest. Freshly harvested fruits and vegetables are mostly comprised of water with most having 90 - 95% moisture content. Water loss after harvest is one of the most serious post-harvest conditions.
Perishable products such as fruit and vegetables continue to metabolize and respire after harvest. This means that the oxygen (O₂) in the atmosphere is being consumed producing heat, carbon dioxide (CO₂), moisture and possibly ethylene gas. As a result, the produce ripens and the quality degrades. The rate of deterioration varies greatly between individual produce depending on their overall rate of metabolism. On the other hand, many volatile compounds evolved by the produce may accumulate in the storage system.
Absence of farm storage facility and proper pack house/packing station results in the perishable produce being marketed immediately after harvesting without primary processing and adequate packaging.
What are perishable agricultural products?
