In this blog, you will find the Definition, Importance, Objectives of Post-Harvest Technology with Principles, Activities involved, Stages & factors affecting of PHT, PHT Losses etc. in short & quick manner.
Post-Harvest Technology (PHT) is starts as time after harvesting of crops to the time before meal preparation. The post-harvest technology is gaining importance for increasing agricultural productivity and growers intend to become producer-cum-processor by utilizing the technologies of processing.
As India is a rising country with the large availability of Agricultural land, PHT is very important.
Definition
PHT is the application of science and technology to agricultural commodities which acts after harvesting food from farms for preservation, processing, packaging, storage, handling, transportation, and marketing. PHT is an actual application of food science & Technology. It is a path through which food comes from the farm to the consumer’s plate.
Post-Harvest Technology can minimize the losses of fresh food commodities & increase the value addition to crops, horticulture, livestock & fishery sector, etc. Plays a vital role in the reduction of wastage of food.
Principals of PHT
- Increasing shelf life
- Increase in productivity
- Ensuring value addition in food
- Increasing diversification
- Reducing post-harvest losses
- Commercialization of agriculture
- Generation of employment
- Creating surplus for export agro-business
- Generating availability of food in any season, access particular area
- Storage, marketing & transportation of food
- Waste management & reduction
PHT is a very important procedure in the agro-business chain. PHT is an actual means of Food Engineering & Technological application. It is a link between farm to consumers plate.
Objectives of PHT
- To learn the importance of all food and agricultural commodities
- To understand the classification, types & perishability of agro commodities mainly
- Fruits & Vegetables
- Cereals, Pulses, Legumes & oil-seeds
- To study procedure while cooking, processing of food
- To study various methods to increase the shelf life of food
- To learn the importance of marketing, storage, handling & hygiene of food.
Stages in PHT
- Harvesting (Handling)
- Threshing
- Drying (Transport and distribution)
- Storing
- Processing
- Primary processing (Cleaning, classification, de-hulling, pounding, grinding, packaging, soaking, winnowing, drying, sieving, whitening, milling)
- Secondary processing (Mixing, cooking, frying, molding, cutting, extrusion, Product evaluation (Quality controls)
- Packaging (Weighing, labeling, sealing)
- Marketing (Publicity, selling, distribution)
- Use (Recipes elaboration: traditional dishes, new dishes)
- Consumer preferences (Product evaluation, consumer education)
Factors affecting Post-Harvest losses
1. Pre-harvest production practices
It is mainly about farming factors like
- water supply
- Soil fertility
- Cultivation practices
- Use of chemicals & fertilizers
2. Harvesting and field handling
The product can get damaged mostly during its harvesting. So, good harvesting practices and field handling is necessary. As good quality of harvesting workers or advanced harvesting machinery is used, then loss can be reduced.
3. Packing or packaging
Good packaging not just for marketing & presentation but also helps to prevent the product from both mechanical and other damages. It also helps to increase the shelf life of the product.
4. Storage
Good storage and keeping quality helps to preserve products for a longer period. Storage rooms which are clean and hygienic and free from rodents and insects helps to preserve food for a long time.
5. Transportation
A lot of mechanical damages and quantitative losses are occurring due to inappropriate transportation. So, transportation with good care is important.
6. Marketing
Improper handling may cause damage in crops especially in perishable products. So, it can reduces the quality also the quantity of food products which can depletes its market price.
7. Perishability of the product
perishability simply means the amount of water present in the food. As the food is highly perishable, good practices are important to preserve food for a longer time. As the perishability of food is low its shelf life naturally increases
Importance
PHT is an essential part of our lives since it is developed in ancient times. Classically humans strive to make food safe for consumption & discovered numerous ways to protect food, enhance its taste, making it healthy. All these actions gave birth to PHT. Not just for the processing industry, it is an integrated part of our lives.
PHT is mainly categorized for 1. Fruits, vegetables 2. Cereals, pulses & oil-seeds. Our forthcoming 2 blogs will be approaching to deliver this knowledge.
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Food Tech 101 
Very sophisticated and we’ll elaborated..
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Well done. Go ahead
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Nice work
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Elaborated one
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Nice information.
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Nice 👌
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