Diseases
Post-Harvest Mold & Microbial Risk
Harvested flowers remain biologically active and can support microbial growth when moisture availability, temperature, contaminated material, and handling conditions align. Visible mold is a rejection signal, not a quality defect to blend away.
What to look for
- Visible fungal growth or unusual powdery/fuzzy colonies
- Soft, discolored, or collapsing flower tissue
- Musty or otherwise abnormal odor
- Localized moisture or condensation inside storage containers
Important look-alikes
- Dense trichome coverage
- Dried plant hairs or fibers
- Dust or substrate particles
- Normal color differences among flowers
How to confirm
- Use magnification to distinguish trichomes from fungal structures
- Separate suspect material from clean lots
- Review drying and water-activity records
- Use laboratory testing where product safety or compliance requires it
Management principles
- Do not mix visibly moldy material into clean product
- Correct drying and storage conditions
- Clean contact surfaces and containers
- Investigate the environmental or handling source rather than only removing one affected flower
Prevention
- Harvest sanitation
- Representative drying measurements
- Validated water-activity or moisture-control practices
- Clean dry storage with appropriate packaging
Visual study guide
- Trichomes versus mold microscopy plate
- Post-harvest contamination pathway
- Condensation-in-package diagram
- Reject-and-separate workflow