Firmness of vegetables and fruits as a determinator of the maximum allowable pile height in commercialization packages

Abstract

An estimate was made of the maximum tolerable height for piling boxes of fruit and horticultural products using ways of measuring the firmmess of the turgor of horticultural products. The flattening method and the firmometer generated similar results for tomato, potato, onion, carrot, chayote, bell pepper, yam, gilo, Peruvian carrot, radish, orange, apple, lemon, pear, grape, papaya, guava, plum and nectarine. Only the firmometer was able to measure the firmness of zucchini, kiwi, gherkin, cucumber, okra and green beans, because of the less regular surface. Firmness was measured in the equatorial part of these organs. It was assumed that 5% of the box base in contact with the flattened surface of the studied organs was the highest tolerated compression allowable during commercial use. To estimate the pile height that causes this deformation, the product weight and the usual impact acceleration, encountered during the transportation, were considered. This information along with specific product characteristics are being used to dimension a new box family, for palletized transport and commercialization of fruits and vegetables in Brazil.

firmness; turgor; post-harvest losses