Food quality is becoming an ever-increasing important feature for consumers and it is well known that some food crops are perishable and have a very short shelf and storage life. An effective quality assurance system throughout the handling steps between harvest and retail display is essential to provide a consistently good quality supply of fresh food crops to the consumers and to protect the reputation of a given marketing label. Food manufacturing companies all over the world are incre- ingly focussing on quality aspect of food including minimally processed food to meet consumer demands for fresh-like and healthy food products. To investigate and control quality, one must be able to measure quality-related attributes. Quality of produce encompasses sensory attributes, nutritive values, chemical constituents, mechanical properties, functional properties and defects. Successful postharvest handling of crops requires careful coordination and integration of the various steps from harvest operations to consumer level in order to maintain the initial product quality. Maturity at harvest is one feature of quality of perishable products, it has great influence on their postharvest behavior during marketing. Safety assurance can be part of quality assurance and its focus on minimizing chemical and microbial contamination during production, harvesting, and postharvest handling of intact and fresh-cut of commodities. Essentially, electromagnetic (often optical) prop- ties relate to appearance, mechanical properties to texture, and chemical properties to flavor (taste and aroma).

Plants require nutrients in order to grow, develop and complete their life cycle. Mineral fertilizers, and hence the fertilizer industry, constitute one of the most imp- tant keys to the world food supplies. There is growing concern about the safety and quality of food. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which, together with nitrogen, form the structural matter in plants, are freely available from air and water. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, on the other hand, may not be present in quantities or forms sufficient to support plant growth. In this case, the absence of these nut- ents constitutes a limiting factor. The supply of nutrients to the plants should be balanced in order to maximise the efficiency of the individual nutrients so that these meet the needs of the particular crop and soil type. For example, it should be noted that EU-wide regulations are not designed to govern the specific details of mineral fertilizer use. Although plants receive a natural supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from organic matter and soil minerals, this is not usually sufficient to satisfy the demands of crop plants. The supply of nutrients must therefore be supplemented with fertilizers, both to meet the requirements of crops during periods of plant growth and to replenish soil reserves after the crop has been harvested. Pesticides are important in modern farming and will remain indispensable for the foreseeable future.

We can not talk about commodity production without building up all the operations after harvest. It is possible to market the products just after harvest, but it is only possible in small quantities. Postharvest handling is the ultimate stage in the process of producing quality fresh fruits and vegetables, getting these unique packages of water (fresh commodities) to the supper table. Fresh fruits and vegetables are succeptible to a number of postharvest disease and disorders and the postharvest operations are predominately aimed at maintaining harvest quality. Every step in the handling chain can influence the extent of disease and quality of the stored product. From planting to consumption, there are many opportu- ties for bacteria, viruses, and parasites to contaminate produce or nutrient deficiency level causing physiological disorders. Most of the storage rots are diseases that have originated in the field and have carried over onto commodities after harvest. Physiological disorders also arise from poor handling between harvest, storage and marketing. Treatments have a direct effect on inactivating or outright killing germinating spores, thus minimising rots. Prestorage treatment appears to be a promising method of postharvest control of decay. Pre-or-postharvest treatments of commodities are considered as potentiel alternatives for reducing the incidence of diseases, disorders, desinfestation of quarantine pests and for preserving food quality. Postharvest treatments lead to an alteration of gene expression and fruit ripening can sometimes be either delayed or disrupted.

Today, in a world with abundant food, more than 700 million people are chro- cally undernourished. Over the next 20 years, the world's population will probably double. The global food supply would need to double or to triple for the larger population to be fed adequately. Agriculture is closely linked to environmental quality in a variety of ways, and the challenge of our generation is how to feed a growing planet while maintaining the integrity of our ecological life-support system. The responsibility of governments for ensuring food security will grow proportionately with the growth of populations, and governments bear a special responsibility for promoting agricultural inputs. Agriculture in the 21st century, will certainly focus increasingly on adapting modern technologies to local farming systems, needs and environments. Worldwide climatic changes have been raising concerns about potential changes to crop yields and production systems. Such concerns include the ability to acc- modate these uncertain effects in order to ensure an adequate food supply for an increasing population. What can be done concretely to use agriculture to address some of the fundamental issues of today's world? We must recognize that agric- ture is part of the solution and not just a problem. Agricultural development is a key to social stability and equity in many parts of the world. It can help to al- viate the subtle and unspoken fears of modernization and the space of change if innovation is handled transparently.

We can not talk about commodity production without building up all the operations after harvest. It is possible to market the products just after harvest, but it is only possible in small quantities. Postharvest handling is the ultimate stage in the process of producing quality fresh fruits and vegetables, getting these unique packages of water (fresh commodities) to the supper table. Fresh fruits and vegetables are succeptible to a number of postharvest disease and disorders and the postharvest operations are predominately aimed at maintaining harvest quality. Every step in the handling chain can influence the extent of disease and quality of the stored product. From planting to consumption, there are many opportu- ties for bacteria, viruses, and parasites to contaminate produce or nutrient deficiency level causing physiological disorders. Most of the storage rots are diseases that have originated in the field and have carried over onto commodities after harvest. Physiological disorders also arise from poor handling between harvest, storage and marketing. Treatments have a direct effect on inactivating or outright killing germinating spores, thus minimising rots. Prestorage treatment appears to be a promising method of postharvest control of decay. Pre-or-postharvest treatments of commodities are considered as potentiel alternatives for reducing the incidence of diseases, disorders, desinfestation of quarantine pests and for preserving food quality. Postharvest treatments lead to an alteration of gene expression and fruit ripening can sometimes be either delayed or disrupted.

Plants require nutrients in order to grow, develop and complete their life cycle. Mineral fertilizers, and hence the fertilizer industry, constitute one of the most imp- tant keys to the world food supplies. There is growing concern about the safety and quality of food. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which, together with nitrogen, form the structural matter in plants, are freely available from air and water. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, on the other hand, may not be present in quantities or forms sufficient to support plant growth. In this case, the absence of these nut- ents constitutes a limiting factor. The supply of nutrients to the plants should be balanced in order to maximise the efficiency of the individual nutrients so that these meet the needs of the particular crop and soil type. For example, it should be noted that EU-wide regulations are not designed to govern the specific details of mineral fertilizer use. Although plants receive a natural supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from organic matter and soil minerals, this is not usually sufficient to satisfy the demands of crop plants. The supply of nutrients must therefore be supplemented with fertilizers, both to meet the requirements of crops during periods of plant growth and to replenish soil reserves after the crop has been harvested. Pesticides are important in modern farming and will remain indispensable for the foreseeable future.

Today, in a world with abundant food, more than 700 million people are chro- cally undernourished. Over the next 20 years, the world's population will probably double. The global food supply would need to double or to triple for the larger population to be fed adequately. Agriculture is closely linked to environmental quality in a variety of ways, and the challenge of our generation is how to feed a growing planet while maintaining the integrity of our ecological life-support system. The responsibility of governments for ensuring food security will grow proportionately with the growth of populations, and governments bear a special responsibility for promoting agricultural inputs. Agriculture in the 21st century, will certainly focus increasingly on adapting modern technologies to local farming systems, needs and environments. Worldwide climatic changes have been raising concerns about potential changes to crop yields and production systems. Such concerns include the ability to acc- modate these uncertain effects in order to ensure an adequate food supply for an increasing population. What can be done concretely to use agriculture to address some of the fundamental issues of today's world? We must recognize that agric- ture is part of the solution and not just a problem. Agricultural development is a key to social stability and equity in many parts of the world. It can help to al- viate the subtle and unspoken fears of modernization and the space of change if innovation is handled transparently.

Food quality is becoming an ever-increasing important feature for consumers and it is well known that some food crops are perishable and have a very short shelf and storage life. An effective quality assurance system throughout the handling steps between harvest and retail display is essential to provide a consistently good quality supply of fresh food crops to the consumers and to protect the reputation of a given marketing label. Food manufacturing companies all over the world are incre- ingly focussing on quality aspect of food including minimally processed food to meet consumer demands for fresh-like and healthy food products. To investigate and control quality, one must be able to measure quality-related attributes. Quality of produce encompasses sensory attributes, nutritive values, chemical constituents, mechanical properties, functional properties and defects. Successful postharvest handling of crops requires careful coordination and integration of the various steps from harvest operations to consumer level in order to maintain the initial product quality. Maturity at harvest is one feature of quality of perishable products, it has great influence on their postharvest behavior during marketing. Safety assurance can be part of quality assurance and its focus on minimizing chemical and microbial contamination during production, harvesting, and postharvest handling of intact and fresh-cut of commodities. Essentially, electromagnetic (often optical) prop- ties relate to appearance, mechanical properties to texture, and chemical properties to flavor (taste and aroma).