Evaporative Coolers for the Postharvest Management of Fruits and Vegetables

Evaporative Coolers for the Postharvest Management of Fruits and Vegetables covers world demand for food of high quality without chemical preservatives and with extended shelf life. The book provides the practical application of evaporative coolers, with a strong focus on postharvest management and fruit/vegetable science as high moisture foods are highly perishable. Special emphasis is laid on the impact of the evaporative coolant structure on the nutritional and food safety content of fresh produce. Moreover, the book covers the effect of evaporative coolant structure towards the reduction of spoilage microorganisms responsible for the spoilage of post-harvest losses of various fruits and vegetables.

Edited by a team of specialists, this title also helps people dealing with microbiology understand how this simple technology can help improve product quality for communities that currently lack access to cooling or have unreliable power supplies.

• Thoroughly explores shelf-life extensions that can be achieved when applying evaporative cooling
• Covers postharvest management through evaporative cooling
• Brings food and consumer science aspects from evaporative cooled fruits and vegetables
• Presents information on the interaction of edible coatings towards the extension of climacteric and non-climacteric fruits

• Language: English
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Release date: Apr 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9780323886215

Book preview

Chapter One: Key contributors to postharvest losses and the scale of the problem

Nyejirime Young Wikea; Olugbemi Tope Olaniyanb; Charles Oluwaseun Adetunjic; Juliana Bunmi Adetunjid; Okotie Gloriaa,b; Wadzani Palnam Daudae; Frank Abimbola Ogundolief    a Department of Physiology, Rhema University, Aba, Nigeria

b Laboratory for Reproductive Biology and Developmental Programming, Department of Physiology, Rhema University, Aba, Nigeria

c Applied Microbiology, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Edo University Iyamho, Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria

d Department of Biochemistry, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria

e Department of Crop Protection, Federal University Gasua, Gasua, Nigeria

f Department of Biotechnology, Baze University Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Although meeting the growing worldwide demand for food continues to be a serious challenge, more than a quarter of the food gets destroyed or squandered in postharvest processes. Minimizing postharvest losses, mainly in underdeveloped nations, could be a long-term strategy to enhance access to food, minimize natural resource demand, eradicate hunger, and boost growers’ income. The length of time, as well as the storehouse environment that fruits and vegetables are exposed to between harvest and eating, has a significant impact on their quality. Fresh produce must be treated with care since it is growing tissue that remains physically lively long after it has been harvested. Fruit and vegetable activity levels, as well as the numerous treatments used on them, have an effect on the ultimate quality. However, a drop in fresh food quality is damaging since it results in postharvest losses. As a result of inappropriate maturation at harvest, postharvest losses are mainly caused by shattering, rot, dehydration, freezing damage, and excess softness. These losses are primarily caused by inappropriate handling, which damages fruit tissue; inadequate refrigeration; inability to sustain appropriate storage; failure to classify and eliminate low-quality goods; and the use of unsuitable packaging technologies and techniques. This review focuses on the causes of postharvest losses for fruit and vegetables as well as the types of postharvest losses.

Keywords

Fruit; Vegetables; Postharvest losses; Storage techniques; Spoilage

Introduction

Fruits and vegetables are an essential and critical part of the global food supply, both financially and dietary. Similarly, they serve an important part of the human diet by providing essential transcription factors like vital nutrients in our everyday food, allowing us to live longer and healthier. Fruits and vegetables are found all over the world, but their comparatively brief storage, caused by infectious threats, is a key determining variable that affects their commercial importance. Microbes degrade approximately 20%–25% of harvested fruit during postharvest management in both advanced and developing countries (Zhu, 2006; Ara et al., 2012), with postharvest losses being greater in underdeveloped nations due to inadequate shipping and delivery infrastructure (Zhu, 2006; Ara et al., 2012).

Providing food for a rapidly rising human population has proven to be a huge challenge for civilization (Adetunji and Anani, 2021a, b; Okeke et al., 2021; Adetunji et al., 2020, 2021a, b, c, d; Olaniyan and Adetunji, 2021). Over the last few years, several countries’ attempts to deal with increasing food needs have focused on increasing agricultural productivity, crop production, and depopulation. Nonetheless, postharvest loss, a serious problem, somehow does not earn due importance, with less than 5% of funding for research granted in the past decades (Bourne, 1977; Greeley, 1986; Kitinoja et al., 2011; Pantenius, 1988).

Postharvest loss refers to food loss that occurs along the supply chain, from crop production to consumption (Aulakh et al., 2013). Losing weight owing to rotting, yield loss, nutrient loss, crop survivability loss, and economic loss are all examples of losses (Boxall, 2001a, b). Postharvest losses in the local ecosystem differ significantly between species, locations, and financial systems. Individuals in destitute countries discover a technique to make the most of the food they grow, yet a considerable proportion of crops are squandered in postharvest operations due to a shortage of skills, insufficient technology, and inadequate storehouse architecture. Food wastage in the mid-phases of the supply chain is significantly small in industrialized countries, owing to the accessibility of innovations and effective agricultural packaging and storage methods. Food waste, on the other hand, occurs when a large quantity of food is squandered at the point of delivery. Food waste is defined as food that is thrown away, food that is intentionally used for something other than food, or food that spoils or expires, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (2014).

Significant morphological and nutritional reductions that diminish the crop’s economic worth or leave it unsafe are referred to as postharvest loss. In extreme cases, these losses could amount to a significant portion of overall production (Fox, 2013). According to studies by Abass et al. (2014), these losses in African countries are expected to be between 20% and 40%. That is significant given the continent’s food shortages in diverse locations. Given the importance of reducing food wastage in enhancing the safety of food, it’s critical to comprehend the global paradigm and size of such shortfalls, particularly in developing countries, as well as the causes and potential solutions. Despite the fact that waste happens at every point of the supply chain, from manufacturing to the consumer, developing-country storehouse waste is the most serious.

For whatever reason, Alao (2000) defines postharvest loss of fresh foods as a certain mass of good and healthy consumable commodity (excluding any water content) which is usually eaten by people and has also been isolated from the medium and spots of its instant large-scale cultivation by purposeful human effort with the goal of using it for nutritional science, but nevertheless, for whatever justification, is not ingested by living organisms. According to the FAO (1989), fruits and vegetables are harmed not only in amount and quality but also in terms of appearance, lowering their selling price. The consumable portion of most skin-deep damage, like fly spot in apples, is unaffected. Some diseases are harmless because they develop on uneatable portions of the plant that can be removed before intake, such as Alternaria leaf blight on vegetables (Opadokun, 1987). Because they are made up of living tissues, fruits and vegetables are biodegradable and very susceptible to loss. Throughout the trade operation, such substances are required to remain safe and functioning. They consist of thousands of living organisms that need to be cared for and maintained (Alao, 2000; Mustapha and Yahaya, 2006). As a result, reducing fruit and vegetable postharvest loss is a supplementary strategy to enhance productivity. If postharvest losses are minimized to a significant level, it might not be necessary to significantly increase fruit and vegetable production to meet rising demand. Generally, the cost of minimizing the risk after harvest is less than the cost of averting a corresponding further quantity of high-quality fruit and vegetable output. The factors that contribute to postharvest losses for fruits and veggies, as well as the types of yield losses, are the subjects of this review.

Primary causes of fruit and vegetable postharvest losses

Fruit and vegetable postharvest losses are influenced by a number of factors. Losses owing to structural, physiologic, technical, and sanitary states are among these variables. Fresh foods are recognized for having a limited lifespan and having increased rates of metabolic activity. The major criteria that are continuously connected to greater percentages of food spoilage are inadequate treatment, poor packaging, increasing postharvest handling levels, and commercialization lags (Kitinoja and Al Hassan, 2012; WFLO, 2010; Kitinoja and Cantwell, 2010; Molla et al., 2010). As a result of such variables, a considerable amount of the produce is squandered between gathering and consumption (Hayatu, 2000; Sani and Alao, 2006). Other causes that trigger postharvest loss of fruits and vegetables include insect harm, illnesses caused by nontoxic microorganisms, and diseased decay. Nevertheless, diseased decay seems to be the most dangerous of the causes, accompanied by automatic harm.

Perishable goods are severely harmed by diseased decay combined with automatic degradation (Mustapha and Yahaya, 2006; Food and Agricultural Organization, 2011). Heat, moisture, and atmospheric stability, especially throughout warehousing, are all important factors that contribute to deterioration. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity can also cause pathological raids on fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, the decline of fruits and veggies owing to molecular and morphological damage is intimately related (Sani and Alao, 2006; Williams et al., 1991). As a result, both the primary and secondary causes of fruit and vegetable postharvest loss can be examined. The main sources of postharvest loss of fruits and vegetables are automated, physiologic, pathologic, and environmental factors (Yahaya, 2005).

Postharvest loss caused as a result of injury to the mechanical system

Incautious management during harvesting, packaging, shipping, and storage causes mechanical harm to fruits and vegetables. Insects and birds can also cause mechanical damage to plant-based foods (Alao, 2000; Hayatu, 2000; Yahaya, 2005). Mechanical injuries to fruits and vegetables, such as cracking and breaking, make them more vulnerable to organism attack, increasing transpiration and gaseous exchange. Mechanical damage to fruits and vegetables is frequently caused by force thrust during transportation, causing the inner tissues and cells to break, which is sometimes undetectable. During the natural aging process, such products degrade more quickly (Alao, 2000; Yahaya, 2005).

Postharvest loss resulting from to action of microbes

Microorganism assault can also cause injury to fruits and vegetables The most prevalent contributors to microbiological degradation include fungi, bacteria, yeast, and molds. Nonetheless, fungi, as well as bacteria, are responsible for a considerable share of fruit and vegetable losses during the postharvest period. Fruits and vegetables are easily infested by these microbes due to their succulent nature (Elias et al., 2010). These microbes, in addition to harming fresh fruits and vegetables, also harm canned and processed foods. Infections frequently strike quickly, causing the widespread breakdown of the item and, in some cases, destroying the whole pack (Alao, 2000; Yahaya, 2005).

Likewise, fungus-caused decay in delicate fruits is quite devastating. In the case of vegetables, contamination comes from the farm, the moisture used to remove the impurities, interaction with machinery, and storehouse conditions. The much more prevalent microorganisms that cause decay in fruits and vegetables are Tricotherium, Phytophthora, Aureobasidium, Aspergillus, Rhizopus, and so many others. The growth of postharvest degradation microbes is aided by extreme temperatures and moisture content. Organisms destroy highly corrosive cells, although microbes mostly attack fruits and vegetables with a pH of over 4.5 (Opadokun, 1987).

Postharvest losses caused by environmental factors

Temperature, moisture, as well as the structure and quantity of gases in controlled environmental preservation all, perform a significant function in the postharvest waste of fruits and veggies. Microorganisms thrive under elevated temperatures and moisture content, causing serious harm to the crops. Elevated high temperatures also lead to rapid of respiration in fruits and vegetables, causing the interior tissues to deteriorate. Furthermore, elevated temperatures and moisture content accelerate the deterioration of fruits and vegetables, whereas lower temperatures delay the rate of pathogen infection on various products.

The relative humidity is as crucial as the temperature in the postharvest setting. Since the ability of the atmosphere to store water fluctuates with temperature, the impacts of temperature and moisture are mostly equivalent and connected. Oxygenation in glass jars or warehouses affects relative humidity and, as a result, illness incidence indirectly. Elevated relative humidity has a tight relationship with temperature, and for several fruits and veggies, relative humidity engorgement leads to reduced degradation effects when the average temp is close to 0°C (Danladi, 2000). As a result, each fruit and vegetable has a unique temperature threshold while manufacturing. Inadequate or improper temperature input while manufacturing, incorrect refrigerating degree, and unfavorable atmospheric components of the regulated environment of preservation result in cellular injury and structural harm (Cho, 2008). Insufficient gathering, shipping, warehousing, and promotional programs, as well as inadequate regulations, create a conducive environment for additional factors affecting the quality. Insufficient harvesting tools and hard management while reaping cause damage and increase the chances of the food coming into direct contact with the ground, thereby contaminating it with microbes (Yahaya, 2005).

When all other elements are comparable, the predominant temperature within a particular latitude is determined by altitude. According to Atanda et al. (2011), every kilometer of altitude above sea level results in a 6.5°C decline in temperature. Food stored at high elevations has a prolonged shelf life and a lower loss rate, as long as it is kept out of direct sunlight (FAO, 1983).

Traditional operation

A competent cultural function is desirable to guarantee proper development and extend the storage life of the product. To avoid core shelling in fresh foods, the ground must be prepared with a good soil structure of high porosity, specifically for root crops like carrots and radishes. It is critical to maintaining constant watering all through the developmental phases of crops (Cho, 2008). Carrot, radish, and tomato skins break and the onion’s external layers separate due to a lack of hydration. Improper and intense watering, particularly at advanced maturation after a lengthy drought, promotes tomato and watermelon splitting. These fresh foods have a short life span and are unappealing. To promote quality storage, watering must be halted 21 days prior to harvesting onions and garlic (Opadokun, 1987; Cho, 2008).

Harvesting and field handling

Harvesting is the first step in the food distribution chain, and it is an important step in determining the quality of products. Harvesting date and manner are two major determinants of harvesting losses. If harvesting is not carried out at the appropriate crop maturity and water content, a significant amount of loss occurs prior to the actual process. Prematurely reaping a plant with a high-water content doubles drying costs makes it vulnerable to microbial contamination and insect attack, and results in a higher number of failed grains and lower milling outputs (Khan, 2010). Leaving the mature crop unharvested, on the other hand, increases breaking loss, makes the crop more vulnerable to bird and rat attacks, and makes the crop more vulnerable to natural calamities (Baloch, 2010). In impoverished countries, the majority of harvesting is done by hand, which is a time-consuming and labor-intensive operation.

Buyers very often would want new, adequately grown, insect and generally healthy fruits and veggies with an aesthetic look, according to Hayatu (2000). As a result, vegetables must be plucked as soon as they reach their large limit while remaining delicate. Excess maturation in crops like carrot and radish causes succinctness and moisture absorption, so plucking ought to not be postponed. Onion and garlic, on the other hand, have a shorter life span due to their late cultivation. However, postponed reaping has had a negative impact on practically all crops. When it comes to fruits, red ripening in trees is desirable. The bulk of the fruits are plucked at the right maturity level, although well before they mature. As a result, they matured unnaturally sooner in response to customer needs (Opadokun, 1987).

Containers, bags, baskets, and cartons are used to transport gathered fruit from the farm to a pickup location. However, the majority of these vessels are unclean, badly constructed, and poorly maintained, making them unfit for the gathering and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables. As a result, in order to obtain optimum value, the vessel used to gather picked fruit must be made in such a way that it does not harm farm activities, and a greater standard of environmental cleanliness must be maintained. Similarly, unsuitable products should be cleared away. As a result, it is not ideal to leave fresh foods on the ground for long periods since they can become infected. Every piece of disease-infected equipment must be sanitized or disposed of entirely (Opadokun, 1987).

Cleaning and sorting

Before being bagged for shipping, fruits and vegetables must be handled carefully. Root and tuber crops, for example, are frequently cleaned to remove dirt that has accumulated on them. Before being packaged, fruits and vegetables that were handled with toxic substances must be thoroughly washed. Cleaning fruits and vegetables in groundwater prevent wilting and improve their appearance (Alao, 2000; Hayatu, 2000). Trimming crops like cabbage, spinach, and lettuce before harvesting for sale is also vital (Alao, 2000; Hayatu, 2000). As a result, all characteristics that affect quality and attractiveness should be examined while classifying fruits and vegetables (Opadokun, 1987).

Packaging

As a result of better packing, there has been a substantial reduction in the squandering of fresh produce. Furthermore, better packing protects the produce from cracking, unwanted physical changes, and malignant degradation all through storage, shipping, and sales. Sensory characteristics, juiciness, and taste of the product can also be preserved for extended periods of time via efficient and successful wrapping (Alao, 2000; Yahaya, 2005).

To avoid the physiologic deterioration of the fruit, all packages must be given some level of airflow. Should there be impermeability gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide, and steam within the pack, off-flavor may develop. Fruits should be packed wisely to prevent fracturing and loss during shipping (Hayatu, 2000).

Postharvest loss caused during transporting fruits and vegetables

Transportation is a major part of the crop supply chain since products must be transferred from one stage to the next, either from the farm to the factory, from the factory to the storeroom, or from the factory to the consumer. Food goods are damaged by bruising and leakage as a result of a lack of suitable transport systems. Because of improved road networks, engineering amenities on the farm, and production plants to pack and offload trucks quickly with little or no destruction, transportation losses are comparatively minimal in affluent countries. Another key cause of large transportation losses is several crop transfers. Bagged fruits and vegetables are occasionally packed and unpacked from trucks several times before they get to the delivery site (Baloch, 2010). As a result, some fruits get squashed and some vegetables get withered at every step. In affluent countries, there are effective handling networks, whereas packing and unpacking of products from vehicles to production plants is usually done mechanically in underdeveloped nations, resulting in significant damage.

Postharvest losses and value breakdown of fresh fruits have been linked to improper packaging material, shipping, and warehousing facilities (Hagos, 2014; Atanda et al., 2011; Zenebe et al., 2015; Davis, 1980).

Types of postharvest losses in fruit and vegetables

Seed viability loss

The seed sector thrives because of improved seed viability and as well as the method of storage after harvest. It is a fruit quality strategy that strives for excellence and provides optimum quality. Fruit development is one of the most important businesses right now. Small producers grow and preserve the bulk of seeds, particularly grains and pulses, on their fields. The main issue is degradation caused by organic elements like molds and pests, which can be mitigated by using proper storage strategies (Delouche and Caldwell, 1960; Delouche and Caldwell, 1969; Grabe, 1965; Woodstock, 1967). Farmers’ first goal is to avoid damage to crops and grain storage. Due to the danger of yield losses, farmers frequently obtain fresh seeds from the market to create the following harvest for a greater return. There is a need to create proper seed storage technologies that can guarantee greater yields while minimizing the chances of preservation wastage (Gregg and Billups, 2010). Heat, inappropriate breathing, relative humidity, contamination, illumination, and pest-control techniques could all be factored in the wastage. Insects that assault the embryo selectively cause significantly lower seedling growth than other insects. Standard germination testing can detect seed loss (ISTA, 1966).

Commercial loss

Immediate effects or indirect consequences are the two types of commercial losses. As a result of the civil process, there could be underperformance, financial damage, and economic damage. Commercial loss may have an impact on cross-border trade. Information and expertise can help to quickly cut losses. Postharvest losses do not always occur as a result of insufficient preservation. The degradation of grain seeds could be caused by biological, physiological, or technological reasons. It is necessary to expand intervention strategies in order to bring high-quality products from the farm to the consumer (Tyler et al., 1990).

Weight loss

Weight loss isn’t always indicative of crop loss. The loss of weight might be accompanied by a drop in moisture content. The compression factor is a measure used to identify business activities. Water loss may result in financial loss if it is not factored into the equation when evaluating market regulation. Birds, insects, rodents, and bacteria can all contribute to weight loss. By measuring the volume before and after storage in the bag, weight loss can be calculated. Insect infection can also cause a rise in relative humidity in seed, which can result in an increase in mass.

Once infection by insects grows, the seed water content decreases, or insects devour the seed, leaving particles behind; weight loss is difficult to spot (Boxall, 2001a, b). A suitable quantity of infected and noninfected seeds is crushed into flour, and their weights are analyzed to discover these losses. The grain output of contaminated material will be lower than that of healthy weight. Be careful of weight-loss schemes using the falsification of rocks, earth, or sand with water. As a result, not only humidity variations but also the amount of foreign material existing in the output must be assessed (Boxall, 2002; Grolleaud, 1997).

Loss of quality

Consumers value quality, and local dealers use various criteria for evaluating it depending on the situation. Dimension, structure, and attractiveness are all biochemical variables (astringency, glucose, aroma, and smell). Pollution and foreign material (insect pieces, rat hair, feces, weed seeds, dirt, metal, pebbles, and parts of plants) concentration can also cause quality degradation. Insect excrement, chemicals, lubricants, toxins generated by fungal diseases, and spoilage bacteria transmitted by rats are only a few of the pollutants that are difficult to eliminate. Consumers’ boosting of the usual guidelines will enhance the chance of loss (Kader, 2002; Lipinski et al., 2013).

Nutritional loss

The amount of loss is determined by the descriptive and analytical waste of nutritive benefits to the populace, which has an impact on the populace’s nutritional state. Pests feed on a specific portion of the seed, which causes this problem.

Other problems of postharvest for fruits and vegetables

Maturity stage and time of harvesting

This is the point at which postharvest performance measurement starts. Consequently, it is vital to ensure that fruits are selected when they are fully formed. It must be harvested at the right stage of development, as assessed by physical and agronomic maturity. The maturity of a crop’s harvest differs depending on the plant. Fruit is harvested at different phases of its life cycle, depending upon where it will be transported, preservation time, and market demand (Crane et al., 2009). Fruit and vegetable health, as well as preservation capacity and the formation of several preservation illnesses, are all affected by maturity (Siddiqui and Dhua, 2010). Harvest maturity has an impact on fruit and vegetable quality as well as postharvest lifespan capacity (Kader, 1999).

Harvest timing has an impact on quality as well. Fruit and vegetables picked up early and delivered to a firm warehouse for filtering, classifying, and packing is of superior quality and last longer (Ahmad and Siddiqui, 2015). To lessen the chances of temperature harm and scorching, the fruits should be collected during the warmer portions of the day (Yahia, 2011). To avoid damage from high temperatures, early gathering and delivery to the intended packaging factory or marketplace before 10 a.m. is always desirable.

Refrigerating fruits and vegetables

Cooling fruits and vegetables before preserving and marketing them have a significant influence on their quality (Ahmad and Siddiqui, 2015). This required postharvest therapy is used for almost all delicate crops in advanced nations. Precooling is the technique of quickly freezing fresh produce from agricultural heat to the temperature required for storage. It’s an important postharvest step for almost all florals, fruits, and a few vegetables. Fruits and veggies require field precooling if the shipping time to refrigerated conditions exceeds a few hours.

Cooling the things soon after harvest is necessary to eliminate the heat from the land before they are processed again. It’s critical to cool the fruit as rapidly as feasible after harvest. Delays in precooling will impair the end product’s quality and shorten its lifespan (Kitinoja and Kader, 2002). By eliminating agricultural steam as quickly as possible after harvest, precooling is crucial for minimizing the rate of decomposition of exceptionally fresh fruit. The nature of the product and the calculation method has a considerable impact on the technique taken ( Kasmire, 1992; Mitchell, 1992).

Packing substances and packing techniques

Fruit and vegetables are perishable items that require special packaging to avoid physical stress (Thompson and Mitchell, 2002). Furthermore, the container must be completely sealed (Hofman et al., 2013). It’s crucial to avoid compression of the fruit throughout transportation and handling (Thompson and Mitchell, 2002). Because it is possible for the fruit to be destroyed if a large container is stuffed with another, the packaging should only be able to support a maximum weight of 20 kg. The major goal when transporting fruits should be to have a few losses as possible (Thompson and Mitchell, 2002).

The packages used are enormous and hefty due to the mass pressure of the upper fruits, causing significant fruit damage. The majority of mangoes are transported in cargo containers that are found to cause physiological problems and bruises throughout transportation and remain prohibited in international markets due to regulatory concerns and additional disinfestation treatments required for international trade (Anwar et al., 2008). The quality of fresh food is dependent on both wrapping and packaging materials. Placing the goods in the box is the first step in the packing process. When laying the fruits, take care to keep them in line; the pedicel end of each fruit should point in the same direction; and, if necessary, use separate layers or trays. It is not recommended that the box be partially filled or overloaded.

Conclusion and future recommendation

Fruits and vegetables are an essential and critical part of the global food supply, both commercially and nutritionally. Similarly, they serve an important part of the human diet by providing critical signaling molecules like necessary nutrients in our regular diet, allowing us to stay healthy. Fruits and vegetables are extensively spread in nature, but their fairly short storage time, caused by infectious invasions, is a key determining variable that affects their commercial value. Postharvest losses and destruction occur from the farm to the market, and even preharvest practices and choices have a substantial influence on the amount of damage afterward. Farmers must reap at the appropriate stage and season, properly separate the crop, store the crop in a shelter to avoid excessive temperatures during harvest, clean produce vessels as needed, and use appropriate transportation methods to avoid injury. Dealer and whole-seller losses should be kept to a minimum. This can also be provided through the use of a suitable storage system. Reduced postharvest losses and increased producer income can be helped by technological solutions and better storage arrangements.

As a result, teaching and training courses may be one of the most effective techniques for reducing postharvest losses on the farm as well as during preservation. Agricultural workers and growers should have a thorough awareness of the problem and its consequences. It is recommended that they also take part in educating growers to minimize losses.

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