Post-harvest losses occur after crops are harvested and before they are consumed. They can be grouped into several categories:
- Quantitative losses – Reduction in the amount of food available due to spillage, pests, spoilage, or decay.
- Qualitative losses – Deterioration in quality, including:
- Loss of nutritional value
- Reduced taste, aroma, texture, or color
- Lower market value
- Mechanical damage – Bruising, cracking, crushing, or breakage during harvesting, handling, transport, or storage.
- Physiological losses – Natural deterioration caused by respiration, transpiration (moisture loss), sprouting, or ripening.
- Microbial losses – Damage caused by fungi, bacteria, and yeasts, leading to spoilage and foodborne safety concerns.
- Pest losses – Infestation by insects, rodents, birds, and mites during storage and transportation.
- Chemical losses – Contamination from pesticide residues, mycotoxins (e.g., aflatoxins), or other harmful chemicals.
- Economic losses – Reduced income due to lower product quality, price discounts, or inability to sell produce.
- Storage losses – Losses resulting from poor storage conditions, including high humidity, temperature fluctuations, and inadequate ventilation.
- Transportation and handling losses – Damage or spoilage caused during loading, unloading, packaging, and transport to markets
