Deterioration of plant products after harvest is a major limitation on food resources worldwide. Estimates of losses for all food production range from 10 to 30%, but much greater losses are common in developing countries. Enough food is lost annually to feed a population equal to that of the United States. Negative effects are not confined to economic losses and hunger. Since many of the pathogens responsible for deterioration of foodstuffs also produce substances highly toxic to humans and livestock, food safety is an issue as well. The impact of postharvest plant pathogens in food deterioration and food safety has become a top-ranking issue for plant pathologists in the United States.