DETECTION OF FIRMNESS IN PEACHES BY IMPACT FORCE RESPONSE

ABSTRACT It is important for people in the peach industry to know where their product is in its life cycle. A rapid nondestructive estimate could be of great value for on-line sorting. This article proposes an approach based on the determination of firmness. Instron peak force as a measure of firmness is correlated with the coefficient of restitution. This coefficient is rapidly determined from two consecutive bounces of a peach onto a load-cell tripod. Keywords: On-line, sorting, restitution, load cell, testing.