Volume 1, June 2005

Editorial Introductions

Outline

· Consulting Editor – Handling, packaging and transport section

· Consulting Editor – Economics and marketing section

Stewart Postharvest Review was developed from the recognition that scientists in postharvest research are experiencing increasing difficulty in keeping up to date with the expanding volume of information published in this area. Launched in June 2005, the Journal is unique in combining a summary of advances in each topic with expert commentary from international authors on new research articles and suggestions for future research.

Here we are pleased to introduce the Journal’s main Editors and the Consulting Editors for this issue.

Editor-in-Chief Return to Top

Dr. Raghavan graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Bangalore University, India in 1967. In 1970 he obtained his M.Sc. at the School of Engineering, University of Guelph, and in 1973 he obtained his Ph.D. from Colorado State University. He soon decided to pursue a research career which brought him to McGill University, where he was hired as an Assistant Professor in 1977. Dr. Raghavan was promoted to Full Professor in 1987, Department Chairperson from 1993 to 2003 and James McGill Professor since 2002.

Dr Raghavan's research has focussed on the area of post-harvest technology with emphasis on innovative methods of drying and storage. Important contributions were made in passive controlled atmosphere design and storage studies for fresh fruits and vegetables, notably with silicone membrane and diffusion channel storage systems. Dr. Raghavan’s research is presently focusing on finding more cost-efficient ways of drying agricultural and food commodities and improving the overall post-harvest handling of fresh produce in order to maximize their colour, flavour and nutritional value.

Dr. Raghavan has been a prolific researcher with 307 refereed publications, 477 paper presentations, 2 patents and 6 reports of invention. His outstanding research record is the result of dedicated enthusiasm and the large involvement of students, and technical staff. Over the years, 87 undergraduate students have carried their senior research project under his supervision as well as 46 master and 30 doctoral students.

Associate Editor Return to Top

Dr Orsat is a Research Associate of the Department of Bioresource Engineering, McGill University, in Montreal, Canada. She coordinates the research and development activities in the postharvest handling and food processing laboratories of Professor G.S.V. Raghavan. In addition to research supervision, Dr Orsat coordinates the training activities of an international developmental project "Consolidation of Food Security in South India", a project funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Dr Orsat's research focuses on development of microwave and radio-frequency applications in food processing. The latest project is examining the use of super high frequency microwave heating for food treatment applications. To date, Dr. Orsat has published 15 refereed scientific publications, presented over 40 conference presentations and published 6 book chapters.

Consulting Editor – Handling, packaging and transport section Return to Top

Dr. Vigneault graduated in Agricultural Engineering from Laval University, Canada in 1979. In 1982 he obtained his M.Sc. again at Laval University, and in 1992 he obtained his Ph.D. from McGill University, Canada. Between 1995 and 1997, he completed a post-doctorate program at four universities: Laval (Canada), Florida (USA), Unicamp (Brazil) and EARTH (Costa Rica). Dr Vigneault began his career as Research Engineer in 1982 at the Engineering and Statistic Research Center of Agriculture and Agro-Food Canada, Ottawa, and moved to the Horticulture Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agro-Food Canada, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada in 1987. Dr. Vigneault was promoted to Research Scientist in 1992 and has been the Chairperson of the Postharvest Technology Laboratory since 1997. Dr Vigneault is also adjunct professor at McGill University, Canada and Professor Collaborator at State University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil.

Dr Vigneault’s research has focused on postharvest technology of fresh horticultural produce with emphasis on innovative methods of handling, packing, transportation, and storage. He has made an important contribution to horticulture by developing and patenting the Smart Box^TM container for fruit and vegetable handling, which is widely used in North America. He has also made important contribution in the development of research tools for many other disciplines such as plant physiology, entomology, plant pathology, and weed science with his fully automated controlled atmosphere system, strawberry seed counter, insect tracking system, barometric pressure simulator, and controlled freezer. Dr Vigneault’s research is presently focusing on heat and mass transfer through porous medium to improve the quality of the fruit and vegetable for the consumer. It also aims to reduce the energy consumed and the environmental impact through the development of new precooling and packaging systems, thermal property measurement, physical treatments, and research tool development.

Dr Vigneault has been prolific researcher with 65 refereed publications, 17 books or chapters of book, 350 technical publications, more than 100 scientific conferences, courses or posters, and 2 patents. His outstanding record is the result of his passion for his research, his effort in building collaborative working groups, and his contagious enthusiasm in finding new solutions to decrease food losses around the world.

Consulting Editor – Economics and marketing section Return to Top

After graduating from Lincoln College, Peter J. Batt was a Horticultural Advisory Officer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Christchurch, New Zealand before joining Curtin University of Technology as the foundation lecturer in the four year Bachelor of Agribusiness (Horticulture) degree.

Over the last twenty years, Peter J. Batt has worked with various producer groups to facilitate the export of fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers and live aquaculture products to markets in South East Asia. More recently, under a number of collaborative research projects and international aid projects, Peter J. Batt has worked with producer groups in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Viet Nam to improve the efficiency of the supply chain. Through employing a pluralistic methodology based on industrial purchasing behaviour and relationship marketing concepts, it has been possible to both improve offer quality and the prices farmers receive for the produce they have grown.

Receiving both his doctorate and Associate Professorship in 2004, Peter J. Batt is on the editorial board of Industrial Marketing Management, Supply Chain Management: an International Journal and the Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing. He has also convened a number of international conferences and symposiums to address supply chain management issues in the transitional economies.