**11. Postharvest quality assessment techniques**

There are two methods to assess the quality of crop after harvest such as analytical or objective and subjective or sensory method [56]. There are limitations for subjective method in quality evaluation of hazardous material [57]. Objective method is destructive or nondestructive in nature. Manual sorting of commodities is outdated, costly, unreliable, subjective, laborious, and slow. Food depicts complex and dynamic behavior with respect to varietal and time dependency. Nondestructive methods classified according to physical principles are visual inspection, x-ray imaging and computed tomography, near-infrared spectroscopy, ultrasonic testing, thermographic testing, electromagnetic testing, liquid penetrant testing, magnetic particle testing, acoustic emission testing, infrared and thermal testing, magnetic resonance imaging, electronic nose, etc. [58].

Quality assessment or grading has the following benefits:

