• insufficient promotion of processed products

11. Cultural & Socio-Economic factors

• Traditional post-harvest practices intimately associate with local cultures & structures
in society
• Current understanding of post-harvest behaviour may offer opportunities for
improvement
• Social Trends: Urbanization creates high demand in cities but produce at rural areas.
Need efficient and extended food supply chains
12. Government policies on national food supply goals
• Policies on transportation, communication, taxation, support programs
• Lack of national standards and poor enforcement of standards
13. Consumers waste Food

- Biological factors on food loss

1. Inherent plant diseases
• Cultivar susceptibility to postharvest disease
2. Latent and quiescent infections:
• Field pathogen: cause infection during development of plants or their products
before harvest
3. Product composition effect on perishability
• Water content, metabolic rate, structures (seed coat)
4. Key metabolisms in post-harvest crops
• Dark Respiration Some products results to reduction to eliminate of
photosynthesis and rely on existing reserves. Respiratory pathway similar to before
harvest and due to these changes occur
• PhotosynthesisSome products have potential for photosynthesis and need to
photosynthesize to maintain products existing level of quality eg. vegetable
transplants and rooted cuttings
• Composition changes and synthesis of many compounds Changes in
Carbohydrates, Lipid, Protein, Amino acids, pigments, Vitamins, produce volatile
compounds

5. Physiological changers in post-harvest crops