Post harvest handling and characteristics of fresh-cut traditional vegetables sold in Nairobi-Kenya

Abstract

Twenty one major supermarkets and ten independent green grocers in the city of Nairobi were surveyed for the types of fresh-cut traditional leafy vegetables (TLVs) sold. Cleome gynandra, Solanum nigrum, Vigna unguiculata, Amarathus spp. and Cucurbita spp were found to be the most common TLVs selling. Amaranthus spp. and Solanum nigrum were selling in all the sales outlets surveyed, while the rest were selling in only a few of the sales outlets. For vending, the vegetables were not afforded any formal packaging; instead the vegetables within each type were tied in bundles of similar average size and displayed in troughs or shelves. The average weight of the bundles ranged between 250g for Cucurbita spp. to 650g for Vigna unguiculata. The mean price per bundle was KSh 14.00. The edible portion per bundle averaged between 34.2% for Vigna unguiculata and 84% for Cucurbita spp. Most of the sales outlets sold proportions ranging between 94% and 97% of the total delivery of the vegetables. The major cause of deterioration of the vegetables during vending was wilting. However, it was indicated that significant losses also occurred through spoilage. The study concludes that TLVs are becoming important as commercial crops and as items of diets for Kenyansofall levels. Studies onsimple postharvest handlingto minimize the lossesare however, required.