What horticulture produces — fruits, vegetables, and flowers. They reach consumers through fresh markets, retail, and processing, and their quality and safety depend on good agricultural practices, careful harvest handling, cold-chain management, and residue control. Because many are eaten raw, microbial safety is a constant priority: irrigation-water quality, worker hygiene, and clean packing environments all shape the final risk. Post-harvest treatments — from simple cooling to controlled-atmosphere storage — extend shelf life while preserving the freshness consumers expect. Certification and traceability schemes increasingly verify that these practices are followed from field to consumer.