Introduction to Postharvest Management

The process of gathering crops from the field is known as harvesting. The stage that immediately follows crop production is known as postharvest management. It includes cleaning, sorting, cooling and packing. It aims to maintain the quality of the crops after harvest. Some of the goals of this field are avoiding moisture loss and slowing down unwanted chemical changes, keeping the product cool and preventing physical damages to the crops. Many devices like conveyor belts, walk-in coolers and automated sorting and packing stations are used to maintain the final quality of the crop. Sophisticated refrigerated and atmosphere controlled environments, and high-speed cooling are some of the methods that used to prolong the freshness of the production. This book is a valuable compilation of topics, ranging from the basic to the most complex theories and principles in this field. It explores all the important aspects of postharvest management in the present day scenario. This book will serve as a reference to a broad spectrum of readers.