A Comprehensive Review on Pre- and Post-Harvest Perspectives of Potato Quality and Non-Destructive Assessment Approaches

Lakshmi Bala Keithellakpam; Chithra Karunakaran; Chandra B. Singh; Digvir S. Jayas; Renan Danielski

doi:10.3390/app16010190

journal article Open Access Dec 24, 2025

A Comprehensive Review on Pre- and Post-Harvest Perspectives of Potato Quality and Non-Destructive Assessment Approaches

Lakshmi Bala Keithellakpam Chithra Karunakaran Chandra B. Singh Digvir S. Jayas

Renan Danielski

Applied Sciences Vol. 16 No. 1 pp. 190 · MDPI AG

View at Publisher Save 10.3390/app16010190

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is an important crop globally, being a starchy, energy-dense food source rich in several micronutrients and bioactive compounds. Achieving food security for everyone is highly challenging in the context of growing populations and climate change. As a highly adaptable crop, potatoes can significantly contribute to food security for vulnerable populations and have outstanding commercial relevance. Specific pre- and post-harvest parameters influence potato quality. It is vital to understand how these factors interact to shape potato quality, minimizing post-harvest losses, ensuring consumer safety, and enhancing marketability. This review highlights how pre-harvest (cultivation approaches, agronomic conditions, biotic and abiotic stresses) and post-harvest factors impact tuber’s microbial stability, physiological behaviour, nutritional, functional attributes and frying quality. Quality parameters, such as moisture content, dry matter, starch, sugar, protein, antioxidants, and color, are typically measured using both traditional and modern assessment methods. However, advanced non-destructive techniques, such as imaging and spectroscopy, enable rapid, high-throughput quality inspection from the field to storage. This review integrates recent advancements and specific findings to identify factors that contribute to substantial quality degradation or enhancement, as well as current challenges. It also examines how pre- and post-harvest factors collectively impact potato quality. It proposes future directions for quality maintenance and enhancement across the field and storage, highlighting research gaps in the pre- and post-harvest linkage.

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Details

Published: Dec 24, 2025
Vol/Issue: 16(1)
Pages: 190
License: View

Authors

L

Lakshmi Bala Keithellakpam

Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6, Canada; Advanced Post-Harvest Technology Centre, Lethbridge Polytechnic, 3000 College Drive S., Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6, Canada

C

Chithra Karunakaran

Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6, Canada; Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2V3, Canada

C

Chandra B. Singh

Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6, Canada; Advanced Post-Harvest Technology Centre, Lethbridge Polytechnic, 3000 College Drive S., Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6, Canada

D

Digvir S. Jayas

Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6, Canada; President’s Office, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada

R

Renan Danielski

Advanced Post-Harvest Technology Centre, Lethbridge Polytechnic, 3000 College Drive S., Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6, Canada

Funding

Results Driven Agricultural Research

Potato Growers of Alberta

Cite This Article

Lakshmi Bala Keithellakpam, Chithra Karunakaran, Chandra B. Singh, et al. (2025). A Comprehensive Review on Pre- and Post-Harvest Perspectives of Potato Quality and Non-Destructive Assessment Approaches. Applied Sciences, 16(1), 190. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16010190

A Comprehensive Review on Pre- and Post-Harvest Perspectives of Potato Quality and Non-Destructive Assessment Approaches

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