Elizabeth Mitcham with the University of California, Davis presents on the challenges and practices in postharvest handling of tropical fruit at 2016 Symposium for Horticultural Science in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Horticultural crops are easily damaged and begin to deteriorate at harvest. The factors that contribute to postharvest losses depend on the time and temperature of the products after harvest. Maintaining low temperatures after harvest reduces the rate of deterioration. Other methods to reduce deterioration include careful handling, controlling atmospheres, and processing. Following basic postharvest handling principles will also reduce problems in postharvest.