Design and development of a new device for measuring susceptibility to impact damage of fresh produce

Abstract

Bruising is the most common type of mechanical damage affecting fresh horticultural produce. Several mechanical devices have been reported in the literature for assessing fruit susceptibility to bruising. However, a major limitation of existing devices is the lack of objective measure of the rebound height, which is required to determine the actual impact energy absorbed during damage. In the present study, a new device was designed and developed for objective determination of the rebound height during a pendulum test for bruise susceptibility of whole produce specimens. Using a video camera as an objective benchmark, the new device compared favourably better than subjective visual assessment of the rebound height. The new device provides a simple and cost-effective tool for fruit impact damage research and education. © 2007 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.