Reliable measurement of the shelf life of tomato

Added on 02 December 2022

Tags

Reliable measurement of the shelf life of tomato

Monitoring product quality is essential to combat food waste in the fruit and vegetable chain. Freshness and shelf life of fruit and vegetables are essential here, but are still often measured using subjective and destructive methods. The Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs of Wageningen University & Research and Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (WFBR) are investigating how sensors and image analysis can measure and predict the freshness and shelf life of, for example, a tomato.

There are a number of product properties that have a major impact on the quality of a tomato: the sugar content (the 'brix'), the acidity, firmness and juiciness. These properties can be measured objectively by performing destructive measurements in a laboratory. WUR is investigating the potential of a non-destructive method with the help of sensors and image analysis, for example with a mobile scanner. As a result, the freshness and shelf life of a tomato will be determined quickly, objectively and reliably in the post-harvest phase. Moreover, the tomato does not have to be damaged, and more fruits can be analyzed in a short time.

Continue reading.

Courtesy of Wageningen University & Research