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Horticulture Industry
The horticulture industry embraces the production, processing and shipping of and the market for fruits and vegetables. As such it is a sector of agribusiness and industrialized agriculture. Industrialized horticulture sometimes also includes the floriculture industry and production and trade of ornamental plants. Among the most important fruits are: * bananas * Semi-tropical fruits like lychee, guava or tamarillo * Citrus fruits * soft fruits (berries) * Apples * stone fruits Important vegetables include: * Potatoes * Sweet potatoes * Tomatoes * Onions and * Cabbage In 2013, the global fruit production was estimated at . Global vegetable production (including melons) was estimated at with China and India being the two top producing countries. Value chain The horticultural value chain includes: * Inputs: elements needed for production; seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, farm equipment, irrigation equipment, GMO technology * Production for export: includes fruit and vegetabl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agribusiness
Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy, in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise. The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit while sustainably satisfying the needs of consumers for products related to natural resources such as biotechnology, farms, food, forestry, fisheries, fuel, and fiber — usually with the exclusion of non-renewable resources such as mining. Studies of business growth and performance in farming have found successful agricultural businesses are cost-efficient internally and operate in favorable economic, political, and physical-organic environments. They are able to expand and make profits, improve the productivity of land, labor, and capital, and keep their costs down to ensure market price competitiveness. Agribusiness is not limited to farming. It encompasses a broader spectrum through the agribusiness system which includes input s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cabbage
Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B. oleracea'' var. ''oleracea''), and belongs to the "cole crops" or brassicas, meaning it is closely related to broccoli and cauliflower (var. ''botrytis''); Brussels sprouts (var. ''gemmifera''); and Savoy cabbage (var. ''sabauda''). A cabbage generally weighs between . Smooth-leafed, firm-headed green cabbages are the most common, with smooth-leafed purple cabbages and crinkle-leafed savoy cabbages of both colours being rarer. Under conditions of long sunny days, such as those found at high northern latitudes in summer, cabbages can grow quite large. , the heaviest cabbage was . Cabbage heads are generally picked during the first year of the plant's life cycle, but plants intended for seed are allowed to grow a second year and must ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shelf Life
Shelf life is the length of time that a commodity may be stored without becoming unfit for use, consumption, or sale. In other words, it might refer to whether a commodity should no longer be on a pantry shelf (unfit for use), or no longer on a supermarket shelf (unfit for sale, but not yet unfit for use). It applies to cosmetics, foods and beverages, medical devices, medicines, explosives, pharmaceutical drugs, chemicals, tyres, batteries, and many other perishable items. In some regions, an advisory ''best before'', mandatory ''use by'' or ''freshness date'' is required on packaged perishable foods. The concept of expiration date is related but legally distinct in some jurisdictions. Background Shelf life is the recommended maximum time for which products or fresh (harvested) produce can be stored, during which the defined quality of a specified proportion of the goods remains acceptable under expected (or specified) conditions of distribution, storage and display. Acc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fruit Juice
Juice is a drink made from the extraction or pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat or seafood, such as clam juice. Juice is commonly consumed as a beverage or used as an ingredient or flavoring in foods or other beverages, as for smoothies. Juice emerged as a popular beverage choice after the development of pasteurization methods enabled its preservation without using fermentation (which is used in wine production). The largest fruit juice consumers are New Zealand (nearly a cup, or 8 ounces, each day) and Colombia (more than three quarters of a cup each day). Fruit juice consumption on average increases with a country's income level. Etymology The word "juice" comes from Old French in about 1300; it developed from the Old French words "''jus, juis, jouis''", which mean "liquid obtained by boiling herbs". The "Old French ''jus'' "juice ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized because of its sweet taste, nutritive value, and long shelf life. Today, dried fruit consumption is widespread. Nearly half of the dried fruits sold are raisins, followed by dates, prunes, figs, apricots, peaches, apples, and pears. These are referred to as "conventional" or "traditional" dried fruits: fruits that have been dried in the sun or in heated wind tunnel dryers. Many fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, and mango are infused with a sweetener (e.g. sucrose syrup) prior to drying. Some products sold as dried fruit, like papaya, kiwifruit and pineapple, are most often candied fruit. Dried fruits retain most of the nutritional value of fresh fruit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blast Chilling
Blast chilling is a method of cooling food quickly to a low temperature that is relatively safe from bacterial growth. Bacteria multiply fastest between +8 °C (46 °F) and +68 °C (154 °F). By reducing the temperature of cooked food from +70 °C (158 °F) to +3 °C (37 °F) or below within 90 minutes, the food is rendered safe for storage and later consumption. This method of preserving food is commonly used in food catering and, recently, in the preparation of 'instant' foods, as it ensures the safety and the quality of the food product. The blast chiller is a cousin of the refrigerator, another appliance designed to store food between +3 °C and +5 °C, but the blast chiller is a higher grade and more expensive appliance and is usually only found in commercial kitchens. As of 2013, in the UK, blast chillers are typically priced from GBP 2,000 to GBP 8,000 excluding VAT. Use of blast chillers is prescribed for the restaurants of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Labeling
Labelling or using a label is describing someone or something in a word or short phrase. For example, the label "criminal" may be used to describe someone who has broken a law. Labelling theory is a theory in sociology which ascribes labelling of people to control and identification of deviant behaviour. It has been argued that labelling is necessary for communication. However, the use of the term is often intended to highlight the fact that the ''label'' is a description applied from the outside, rather than something intrinsic to the labelled thing. This can be done for several reasons: * To provoke a discussion about what the best description is * To reject a particular label * To reject the whole idea that the labelled thing can be described in a short phrase. This last usage can be seen as an accusation that such a short description is overly- reductive. Giving something a label can be seen as positive, but the term ''label'' is not usually used in this case. For examp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Refrigeration
The term refrigeration refers to the process of removing heat from an enclosed space or substance for the purpose of lowering the temperature.International Dictionary of Refrigeration, http://dictionary.iifiir.org/search.phpASHRAE Terminology, https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/free-resources/ashrae-terminology Refrigeration can be considered an artificial, or human-made, cooling method. Refrigeration refers to the process by which energy, in the form of heat, is removed from a low-temperature medium and transferred to a high-temperature medium. This work of energy transfer is traditionally driven by mechanical means, but can also be driven by heat, magnetism, electricity, laser, or other means. Refrigeration has many applications, including household refrigerators, industrial freezers, cryogenics, and air conditioning. Heat pumps may use the heat output of the refrigeration process, and also may be designed to be reversible, but are otherwise similar to air conditionin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Packaging
Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end use. Packaging contains, protects, preserves, transports, informs, and sells. In many countries it is fully integrated into government, business, institutional, industrial, and personal use. Package labeling (American English) or labelling (British English) is any written, electronic, or graphic communication on the package or on a separate but associated label. History of packaging Ancient era The first packages used the natural materials available at the time: baskets of reeds, wineskins (bota bags), wooden boxes, pottery vases, ceramic amphorae, wooden barrels, woven bags, etc. Processed materials were used to form packages as they were develop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Genetically Modified Organism
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. The exact definition of a genetically modified organism and what constitutes genetic engineering varies, with the most common being an organism altered in a way that "does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination". A wide variety of organisms have been genetically modified (GM), from animals to plants and microorganisms. Genes have been transferred within the same species, across species (creating transgenic organisms), and even across kingdoms. New genes can be introduced, or endogenous genes can be enhanced, altered, or knocked out. Creating a genetically modified organism is a multi-step process. Genetic engineers must isolate the gene they wish to insert into the host organism and combine it with other genetic elements, including a promoter and terminator region and often a selectable marker. A number of techniques ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been developed by many cultures around the world. Irrigation helps to grow crops, maintain landscapes, and revegetate disturbed soils in dry areas and during times of below-average rainfall. In addition to these uses, irrigation is also employed to protect crops from frost, suppress weed growth in grain fields, and prevent soil consolidation. It is also used to cool livestock, reduce dust, dispose of sewage, and support mining operations. Drainage, which involves the removal of surface and sub-surface water from a given location, is often studied in conjunction with irrigation. There are several methods of irrigation that differ in how water is supplied to plants. Surface irrigation, also known as gravity irrigation, is the oldest form of irr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agrochemical
An agrochemical or agrichemical, a contraction of ''agricultural chemical'', is a chemical product used in industrial agriculture. Agrichemical refers to biocides ( pesticides including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and nematicides) and synthetic fertilizers. It may also include hormones and other chemical growth agents. Agrochemicals are counted among speciality chemicals. Categories Biological action In most of the cases, agrochemicals refer to pesticides. * Pesticides ** Insecticides ** Herbicides ** Fungicides **Algaecides ** Rodenticides ** Molluscicides ** Nematicides * Fertilisers *Soil conditioners * Liming and acidifying agents * Plant growth regulators Application method * Fumigants * Penetrant Ecology Many agrochemicals are toxic, and agrichemicals in bulk storage may pose significant environmental and/or health risks, particularly in the event of accidental spills. In many countries, use of agrichemicals is highly regulated. Government-issued permi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
