POSTHARVEST STORAGE AND PRESERVATION OF TROPICAL CROPS

On a world-wide basis, post-harvest losses of durable crops are estimated at 10%, but in Africa, Asia and Latin America, losses of 20% are frequently encountered. Attention is now being focused on improving farm-level post-harvest systems in many developing countries for all types of crops, namely staple foods, export crops, secondary food products and animal feeds. The humid tropical climate promotes microbial proliferation on food crops and feeds, often resulting in formation of mycotoxins. Improvements in the traditional post-harvest crop-handling and storage techniques would minimize or eliminate losses caused by biodeteriorative agents. The post-harvest storage of some tropical crops and traditional methods of food preservation are described.