scholarly journals Comparison of Devices for Measuring Cherry Fruit Firmness

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 723-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.J. Mitcham ◽  
M. Clayton ◽  
W.V. Biasi

The performance of three relatively new nondestructive cherry firmness devices and a penetrometer were evaluated and compared with the firmness testing performance of an Instron Universal Testing Machine. The inherent variability of the nondestructive devices was estimated by repeated measurement of a uniform, symmetrical, and resilient rubber ball. Analysis of residuals from correlations between each device and the Instron from firmness testing on common samples of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) confirmed the relative variability of the nondestructive devices, and estimated measurement reliability of the penetrometer. Subjective firmness sensing by compression of cherries between the fingers of human evaluators proved to be less reliable than the devices tested. Sweet cherry firmness correlated reasonably well with skin color, with the strength of the correlations from each device agreeing with device ranking in terms of firmness measurement reliability. Firmness correlated poorly with soluble solids, titratable acidity, and specific gravity; soluble solids correlated well with specific gravity; and skin color correlated reasonably well with both soluble solids and specific gravity. Fruit surface pit volume, induced by a specific impact force from a ball bearing, correlated relatively well with fruit firmness measured by the penetrometer, but poorly or inconsistently with measurements from the remaining firmness devices.

HortScience ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 1080f-1080
Author(s):  
S.R. Drake ◽  
E.M. Kupferman

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) in combination with temperature control were investigated for qualify enhancement of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.). `Bing', `Lambert' and `Rainier' cherries (1 kg/pkg/rep) were wrapped in 1 of 3 different MAP films (5,303; 8,900 and 11,286 cc/sq M/24 hrs of O2 and stored at 0 or 4 C for 3 weeks. Post-storage evaluations included both fruit and stem color, fruit firmness, weight loss, soluble solids, titratable acidity, bruising and pitting valuations, respiration rates and visual assessment. MAP films helped maintain fruit and stem color, and fruit firmness, Whereas weight loss and bruising were reduced. Visual assessment was best with fruit in MAP film packages, There was little change in soluble solids and titratable acidity among fruit in the different MAP films. Control (unwrapped) fruit had considerably higher soluble solids and titratable acidity than wrapped fruit. This difference in soluble solids and titratable acidity between control and MAP fruit was associated with a considerable weight loss in the control fruit. Respiration rates of the fruit varied among the different MAP films and was cuitivar dependent. Fruit stored at 0 C had better quality after 3 weeks of storage than fruit stored at 4 C.


Author(s):  
João M. de S. Miranda ◽  
Ítalo H. L. Cavalcante ◽  
Inez V. de M. Oliveira ◽  
Paulo R. C. Lopes ◽  
Joston S. de Assis

ABSTRACTThe production of high quality fruits is a necessary factor for the adaptation and production of plant species with economic viability. Thus, an experiment was conducted from July 2012 to January 2013 to evaluate the fruit quality of the ‘Eva’ and ‘Princesa’ apple cultivars as a function of nitrogen fertilization in Petrolina, PE, Brazil. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with treatments distributed in a factorial arrangement 2 x 4, corresponding to apple cultivars (Eva and Princesa) and nitrogen doses (40; 80; 120 and 160 kg of N ha-1), with four replications and three plants in each plot. The fruit characteristics, such as fruit mass, skin color (luminosity, chromaticity, and colour angle), size (width and length), pulp firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids (SS) and the SS/TA ratio, were recorded. Nitrogen doses do not affect fruit quality of studied apple cultivars. The fruit quality attributes are different between apple cultivars: fruit firmness, SS/TA ratio, fruit mass and fruit diameter are superior for Princesa cultivar, while the fruit length for Eva cultivar is superior.


2006 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia Cristina Cavalini ◽  
Angelo Pedro Jacomino ◽  
Michele Antonio Lochoski ◽  
Ricardo Alfredo Kluge ◽  
Edwin Moisés Marcos Ortega

Harvest time is one of the main factors related to guava fruit postharvest losses. It is subjectively determined by fruit size and skin color, without any consensual standardization among the growers. The use of maturity indexes enables growers to know the ideal harvest time according to each market situation. The objective of this work was to determine the maturity indexes to identify the harvest time for guava fruit cv. Kumagai and Paluma. Skin color, fruit firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, ratio and ascorbic acid were analyzed. The most adequate maturity indexes for 'Kumagai' guava fruit were skin color and pulp firmness, while for 'Paluma' guava fruit, the best indexes were skin color, pulp firmness, titratable acidity and ratio.


1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 685-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Chu ◽  
W. T. Liu ◽  
T. Zhou ◽  
R. Tsao

Hedelfingen sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) were inoculated with spores of Botrytis cinerea and then fumigated with 30 mg L−1.of thymol, acetic acid, or ethanol for 25 min before sealing in modified atmosphere packages and placing into cold storage. After 10 wk of storage, thymol or acetic acid reduced gray mold rot of B. cinerea inoculated cherries from 36 to 0.5% or 6%, respectively. Ethanol was not effective in controlling gray mold rot. Sweet cherries inoculated with B. cinerea and fumigated with thymol had lower total soluble solids, higher titratable acidity and higher stem browning than other treated or non-treated cherries. Key words: Cherry, fumigation, modified atmosphere packaging, storage, Botrytis cinerea


2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 457-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M.A. Toivonen

The research was conducted to first determine the commercial reality in regards to effectiveness of hydrocooling of sweet cherries (Prunus avium) at commercial packing houses. Temperature data obtained from the commercial studies were then used as a guide to evaluate the effect of small differences (0.5, 3, and 5 °C) in sweet cherry core temperature on the quality retention of ‘Sweetheart’ sweet cherries over 6 weeks of storage to simulate container shipment. Sweet cherry core temperatures after in-line hydrocooling and at the time of packing were generally around 3 or 5 °C. Once palletized and placed in commercial cold rooms, the internal boxes of a pallet did not cool any further. Only when a pallet was exposed to direct airflow from cooling coils did the exterior boxes in an assembled pallet show any further reduction in core temperature of packed sweet cherries. Experiments to evaluate the differences in quality retention at close to ideal core temperature (0.5 °C) vs. at more typical 3 or 5 °C core temperatures demonstrated significant decline when the two higher temperatures were maintained over 6 weeks of storage. Sweet cherry firmness, titratable acidity, and stem removal force value declines in storage were significantly affected by these small differences in core temperature, showing the best retention at 0.5 °C. Stem browning increased significantly with 3 or 5 °C storage by 6 weeks of storage. Decay was also significantly increased with warmer temperatures, but the results were variable likely due to differences in fruit infection at the time of harvest. Soluble solids were unaffected by storage temperature, and weight loss and pitting severity were somewhat affected. These results support the need for post packing cooling of sweet cherries as the core temperatures achieved by in-line hydrocoolers during packing do not reduce temperatures sufficiently to ensure good quality retention over longer periods of time that are required for container shipping to export markets. Therefore, forced-air cooling is recommended to further reduce sweet cherry temperatures in the box, before shipping.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 612
Author(s):  
Vânia Silva ◽  
Sandra Pereira ◽  
Alice Vilela ◽  
Eunice Bacelar ◽  
Francisco Guedes ◽  
...  

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a fruit appreciated by consumers for its well-known physical and sensory characteristics and its health benefits. Being an extremely perishable fruit, it is important to know the unique attributes of the cultivars to develop cultivation or postharvest strategies that can enhance their quality. This study aimed to understand the influence of physicochemical characteristics of two sweet cherry cultivars, Burlat and Van, on the food quality perception. Several parameters (weight, dimensions, soluble solids content (SSC), pH, titratable acidity (TA), colour, and texture) were measured and correlated with sensory data. Results showed that cv. Van presented heavier and firmer fruits with high sugar content. In turn, cv. Burlat showed higher pH, lower TA, and presented redder and brightest fruits. The principal component analysis revealed an evident separation between cultivars. Van cherries stood out for their sensory parameters and were classified as more acidic, bitter, and astringent, and presented a firmer texture. Contrarily, Burlat cherries were distinguished as being more flavourful, succulent, sweeter, and more uniform in terms of visual and colour parameters. The results of the sensory analysis suggested that perceived quality does not always depend on and/or recognize the quality parameters inherent to the physicochemical characteristics of each cultivar.


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Meheriuk ◽  
G. H. Neilsen ◽  
D.-L. McKenzie

Calcium chloride (CaCl2) and Ca(OH)2 sprays reduced rain splitting in Van cherries (Prunus avium L.). Multiple applications were better than single sprays. Soluble solids content was increased in many instances by the treatments. Fruit shrivel was appreciable in cherries sprayed with Ca(OH)2 particularly in hot seasons. Single or multiple applications of Nutri-Save (a polymeric coating), Pro-Stick (a sticking agent) and Envy (an antitranspirant) did not affect rain splitting in Stella cherries. Key words: Prunus avium L., calcium sprays, fruit shrivel, cherry


2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Cline ◽  
M. Trought

Rain-induced cracking of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) is a major problem in many cherry growing regions throughout the world. One method to reduce cracking is to grow cracking resistant cultivars; however, no completely effective control measures are currently available to eliminate this problem. Studies conducted in New Zealand to test the ameliorating properties of gibberellic acid sprays to reduce cracking were examined. The results revealed that repeated or singular foliar applications at 10 or 40 mg L-1 gibberellic acid (GA3), respectively, increased both fruit cracking, and fruit firmness, but delayed fruit colour development. Key words: Prunus avium, cherry splitting, cracking


Revista CERES ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 538-544
Author(s):  
Jean Carlos Bettoni ◽  
Nelson Pires Feldberg ◽  
Gilberto Nava ◽  
Milton da Veiga ◽  
Leandro do Prado Wildner

ABSTRACT To study the effect of winter cover crops on the vegetative, productive and qualitative behavior of "Cabernet Sauvignon" grapevines, an experiment was conducted in two wine harvests by sowing different species of winter cover crops and additional treatments with manual weeding and mechanical mowing in an experimental vineyard located at the Experimental Station of Epagri in Videira, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Plant attributes of the grapevine, such as number of rods and weight of pruned material and number of branches per plant. At the time of skin color change, petioles of recently matured leaves were collected for analysis of the levels of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn and B. Moments before harvest, 100 grape berries were collected randomly to determine the total soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH. At harvest, the number of bunches per branch, the number and mass of clusters per plant and the average mass of clusters per plot were determined. Fresh and dry matter yields of the cover crop and weed plants were also determined when coverage reached full bloom. The winter cover crops did not alter the yield and quality of "Cabernet Sauvignon" grapes and showed no differences from each other for the management of spontaneous vegetation by hand weeding or mechanical mowing. Rye and ryegrass are effective alternatives for weed control alternatives. The species of white and red clover present difficulty in initial establishment, producing a small amount of biomass.


Coatings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monserrat Escamilla-García ◽  
María Rodríguez-Hernández ◽  
Hilda Hernández-Hernández ◽  
Luis Delgado-Sánchez ◽  
Blanca García-Almendárez ◽  
...  

Papaya production plays an important economic role in Mexico’s economy. After harvest, it continues to ripen, leading to softening, skin color changes, development of strong aroma, and microbial spoilage. The objective of this work was to apply an active coating of chitosan–starch to increase papaya shelf life and to evaluate physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of the coating. Papaya surfaces were coated with a chitosan-oxidized starch (1:3 w/w) solution and stored at room temperature (25 ± 1 °C) for 15 days. Variables measured were color, titratable acidity, vitamin C, pH, soluble solids, volatile compounds by gas chromatography, texture, homogeneity by image analysis, and coating antimicrobial activity. At the end of the storage time, there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between coated and uncoated papayas for pH (4.3 ± 0.2), titratable acidity (0.12% ± 0.01% citric acid), and soluble solids (12 ± 0.2 °Bx). Papaya firmness decreased to 10 N for coated and 0.5 N for uncoated papayas. Volatile compounds identified in uncoated papaya (acetic acid, butyric acid, ethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate) are related to fermentation. Total microbial population of coated papaya decreased after 15 days, whereas population of uncoated papaya increased. This active coating permitted longer shelf life of papaya than that of the uncoated fruit.


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