Influence of water loss on mechanical properties of stored blueberries
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Date
27/02/2021
Open Access Location
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Rights
Abstract
Moisture loss is considered a main cause of blueberry softening during postharvest storage. However, the causal
relationship between softening and water loss has only previously been described by force to 1 mm compression.
This study was performed to identify suitable instrumental tests that allow the separation of blueberries with
different water loss values during storage. Mechanical properties were measured by double compression (Texture
Profile Analysis) and puncture test. Variability on blueberry mechanical properties was created by regulating
storage humidity and consequently water loss. As water loss increases during storage, hardness slope (slope of a
straight line drawn between the trigger force of 0.06 N and the force at 15 % strain) obtained by the compression
test reduces, and the displacement at berry skin break obtained by puncture test, increases. Therefore, these
parameters can be potentially used to quantify mechanical changes in stored blueberries.
Description
Keywords
Vaccinium spp, Storage humidity, Postharvest quality, Texture profile analysis, Puncture test
Citation
POSTHARVEST BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY, 2021, 176