Abstract—Postharvest losses of cabbages in the traditional and modern chains in Cebu, Philippines have been estimated earlier to range from 26-27% due to poor packaging and lack of handling techniques. Actual measurement of loss based on the sum of weight loss and trimming of damaged, wilted and rotten parts revealed much higher total loss of 33.7% in the traditional chain, with the retail stage (after 3 days holding at ambient) having higher loss of 16.1% than that at the transport stage of 5.4% from the farm to the wholesale-trading center (about 1km) and 12.2% from the trading center to the wholesale-retail market (about 98 km or 3-4 hours travel). Introduction of 3-4 wrapper leaf retention and plastic crate packaging at the farm, 2-3 wrapper leaf retention, 15% alum treatment for bacterial soft rot control and plastic crate packaging prior to transport market, and 15% alum treatment prior to retail reduced losses to 3%, 6.1% and 10.8%, respectively, or a total loss of 19.9%. In the modern chain, total loss was 24.8%, almost similar to the previous estimate, itemized into 3.8% from the farm to the trading center, 12% after transport from the trading center to the wholesale market, and 9% after 3 days in the supermarket. Introduction of 3-4 wrapper leaf retention and plastic crate packaging at the farm, 2-3 wrapper leaf retention, 15% alum treatment and plastic crate packaging prior to transport market, and 15% alum treatment and individual plastic film wrapping prior to supermarket display reduced losses to 2.7%, 7.1% and 6.3%, respectively, or a total loss of 16.1%. With the introduction of the different postharvest techniques, net income and return on investment increased and were highest at retail stage and lowest at the farm level. 
 

Index Terms—alum treatment, Brassica oleraceae var. capitata, plastic crate packaging, plastic film wrap, supply chain losses, return on investment, wrapper leaf retention

Cite: Leif Marvin R. Gonzales and Antonio L. Acedo Jr., "Reducing Losses of Cabbage in Traditional and Modern Chain in Cebu, Philippines," International Journal of Food Engineering, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 48-54, June 2016. doi: 10.18178/ijfe.2.1.48-54