Post-harvest Sucrose Deterioration in Sugar Beet

Abstract

In terms of sugar beet quality, post-harvest sucrose degradation is a major concern. After harvest, sugar beet is one of many quickly perishable crops. The primary and secondary losses are, in essence, the principal causes of this loss. These losses after harvest are also caused by pre-harvest circumstances. Harvesting to slicing duration, loading pattern, beet size, physical damage, and disease prevalence are only a few of the elements that contribute to sucrose deterioration after harvest in this crop. All of these variables add up to a significant financial loss for growers and millers. Growers frequently lose a significant amount of money due to a lack of knowledge about the nature and reasons for these losses, adequate preservation procedures, and transportation and marketing techniques. However, by employing appropriate cultural procedures, such as careful handling and packaging, this can be greatly decreased. The chapter highlights the causes, post-harvest sugar degradation issues, and types of deterioration (physical, physiological, and microbiological) for a better understanding of the sucrose losses after harvest in sugar beet.