Harvest and postharvest factors.

Abstract This chapter discusses harvest and postharvest factors. Harvesting involves the gathering or removal of a mature crop, with minimum damage and losses, from where it has been grown and transporting it on either for direct consumption or into the postharvest handling chain for further storage and distribution. Determination of harvest maturity, hand harvesting, robotic harvesting of greenhouse crops, postharvest handling, grading and storage, fresh-cut salad processing, shelf-life evaluation, packaging, postharvest cooling, postharvest handling damage, GAP - Good Agricultural practices in Postharvest Handling, postharvest storage, postharvest disorders, food safety and hygiene, ready-to-eat, minimally processed produce, certification and food safety systems, and postharvest developments are also discussed.