- C A M Zeeman and L Korsten
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
- 2007
Litchi (Litchi chinensis) export consignments travel in cold storage over long distances. Different cold storage facilities, both South African and international, were sampled in order to compare the degree of microbial contamination. Significantly higher numbers were found at the overseas facilities compared to the levels at local pack houses, particularly considering the numbers of fungi present. The predominant fungal genus was Penicillium, which can have both a saprophytic and pathogenic nature. It is therefore necessary to improve sanitation, especially at international storage facilities, in order to reduce post-harvest fruit decay due to excessive microbial inocula.