Trends in Recent Studies on Post-Harvest Technology

Abstract

Purpose: This article summarizes the trends in recent research publications in relation to post-harvest technology for drying, storage, and quality, between 2005 and 2015. Methods: As of September 7, 2015, a search query using two keywords, drying and agriculture, on the Web of Science (Registered trademark of Thomson Reuters) resulted in 3749 articles that were published between 2005 and 2015. However, the review was restricted to research articles published in the journals Transactions of the ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) and Biosystems Engineering: Journal of European Agricultural Engineering. Results: The total number of articles in the two journals related to drying, storage, and quality was 500, 319, and 885, respectively. The number of articles related to drying, storage, and quality was 250, 177, and 250, respectively, in Transactions of the ASABE. The number of articles related to drying, storage, and quality was 250, 142, and 283, respectively, in Biosystems Engineering. Conclusions: A shift in research focus from drying and storage to quality in Transactions of the ASABE might reflect a shift toward quality-conscious consumers. It seems that ASABE members are more focused on articles related to post-harvest technologies on quality than their European counterparts. Articles were cited based on their abstract content. Readers should read the full articles for more details.