**1. Introduction**

Meeting the food demands of a rapidly rising global population is a significant concern for civilization. By 2050, the world's population is expected to reach 9.1 billion, demanding an additional 70% of the food supply. Most of this population expansion is likely attributed to emerging countries, with many currently suffering


**Table 1.**

*Post-harvest loss of various food substances [1, 3, 4].*

from hunger and food insecurity. Concerns about rising food consumption are exacerbated by increasing urbanization, climate change, and land use for non-food crop production. Most governments have focused their policies over the last few decades on improving agricultural production, land management, and population control to address rising food demand. However, despite being a critical issue, post-harvest loss does not receive the attention it needs, with fewer than 5% of research funds committed to it in previous years [1–3]. One-third of the world's food supply, or around 1.3 billion tons per year, is lost or wasted, as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The post-harvest loss of various food substances are presented in the **Table 1**. These losses happen at every stage of the food system, from cultivation to processing to distribution to final consumption.

Principal causes of post-harvest losses include Insects, rodents, fungi, and bacteria that can damage or ruin food due to pests and diseases. Physical damage can occur when food is handled roughly, improperly stored, or transported. During storage and processing, nutrients can be lost from food. Food can be squandered due to spoilage, overproduction, or insufficient demand. Post-harvest losses have a substantial influence on food security. They decrease the quantity of available food, which can result in hunger and malnutrition. They also increase food costs, making it unaffordable for some people [1, 3, 4].
