Dates

Dates are an important fruit, especially in many African, Middle-Eastern and Asian countries. In recent years this fruit has gained significant importance in terms of global commerce. During the period 1990–2009, global production of dates saw an increase of 219% and this trend is expected to continue as per FAO projections. Some of the major challenges confronting date fruit production and commerce are issues related to postharvest handling technologies, use of appropriate processing and packaging technologies, food safety aspects and quality assurance.

Dates: Postharvest Science, Processing Technology and Health Benefits provides contemporary information that brings together current knowledge and practices in the value chain of dates, from production through to consumption. The important book published by Wiley Blackwell features coverage from leading experts on innovative processing technologies, packaging, quality management and pest control for dates. It is the only book to address the science and technology of the postharvest production of dates, a commercially important and growing sector of the food industry.

Preface vii

Obituary: Professor Adel A. Kader ix

List of Contributors xi

1 Overview of Date Fruit Production, Postharvest handling, Processing, and Nutrition 1
Muhammad Siddiq and Ibrahim Greiby

2 Date Palm: Production 29
Abdullah A. Jaradat

3 Biology and Postharvest Physiology of Date Fruit 57
Maria Gloria Lobo, Elhadi M. Yahia, and Adel A. Kader

4 Insect Pests of Stored Dates and Their Management 81
Mahmoud Abo-El-Saad and Hamadttu El-Shafie

5 Harvesting and Postharvest Technology of Dates 105
Elhadi M. Yahia, Maria Gloria Lobo, and Adel A. Kader

6 Packaging Technologies for Dates and Date Products 137
Vanee Chonhenchob, Koushik Saha, Sher Paul Singh, and Muhammad Siddiq

7 Physical and Structural Characteristics of Dates 157
Mohammad Shafiur Rahman

8 Date Fruit Processing and Processed Products 171
Salah M. Aleid

9 Innovative Processing Technologies for Processing Dates 203
Salah M. Aleid

10 Value-added Utilization of Dates By-products 233
Huthail Najib and Yousef M. Al-Yousef

11 Date Fruit Composition and Nutrition 261
Jasim Ahmed, Fahad M. Al-Jasass, and Muhammad Siddiq

12 Bioactive Compounds, Nutritional and Functional Properties of Date Fruit 285
Praveen K. Vayalil

Index 305

"For those wishing to know about Dates, Date Production and Post-harvesting Production this is an invaluable contribution." Professor Christopher Smith, Manchester Metropolitan University

The Editors:
Dr Muhammad Siddiq, Associate Professor, Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition , Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA (Currently: Food Science Consultant, Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

Dr Salah M. Aleid, Director, Date Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisa University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

Dr Adel A. Kader (1941−2012), Professor Emeritus, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA

Dates are an important fruit, especially in many African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries. In recent years, this fruit has gained significant importance in terms of global commerce. Some of the major challenges confronting date fruit production and commerce are related to postharvest handling technologies, use of appropriate processing and packaging technologies, food safety aspects and quality assurance.

Dates: Postharvest Science, Processing Technology and Health Benefits is the only book to address the science and technology of postharvest production in this commercially important and growing sector of the fruit processing industry. It brings together and reviews contemporary information on practices in the value chain of dates, from production through consumption. The book is comprehensive in its coverage of every aspect of postharvest production including pest control, innovative production, postharvest and processing technologies, packaging, and quality management. It also considers the nutrition and health benefits of date consumption as well as the phytochemical components of dates. Featuring contributions from carefully chosen, outstanding professionals in this field, no other book currently available covers such a breadth and depth of material.