I n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s between food l o s s e s and world hunger are explored, the s e v e r a l components of the complex post h a r v e s t sector are o u t l i n e d and a t e c h n i c a l a n a l y s i s of food l o s s e s presented. Problems of food cons e r v a t i o n i n the CARICOM Caribbean, with p a r t i c u l a r reference to p e r i s h - a b l e commodities, are b r i e f l y d e s c r i b e d . It i s concluded that food c o n s e r v a t i o n i s an important aspect of the i n t e r f a c e between food a v a i l - a b i l i t y and human n u t r i t i o n .