BAE SEMINAR 

TOMORROW, Tuesday, November 25, 2014 
1:10 PM, 2045 Bainer Hall 

Topic: "Applying Nondestructive Sensors to Improve Fresh Fruit Consumer Satisfaction and Increase Consumption" 

Speaker: Carlos Crisosto 

Abstract: 
Fruits are an important component of our diet and it has been demonstrated that fruit consumption is associated with reduced and/or delayed onset of major diseases including Alzheimers, cancer, and obesity. Despite their benefits for human health, fruit consumption is not increasing and in some cases is even decreasing. Our approach to increase fresh fruit consumption by determining the ideal picking date, use of ripening programs, and development and enforcement of a minimum quality index (MQI) based on flavor quality attributes to assure an acceptable flavor experience to consumers is being proposed. Because of recent advances in new nondestructive sensor technologies, there is high interest for using nondestructive sensors (either in handheld portable unit and/or inline) to segregate fruit according to the fruits potential consumer acceptance. The use of nondestructive sensors to segregate fruit based on parameters such as firmness and pigmentation as an index of maturation and ripening will be reviewed. Using sensory techniques (trained panels and in store consumer tests), MQIs based on ripe soluble solids concentration (RSSC) for cherries, plums, nectarines, and peaches; and dry matter (DM) for kiwifruit and mangos are being proposed. An accurate determination of picking date will reduce losses and assure a large part of the crop is in the acceptable category. In some cases, segregation into groups with specific flavor quality attributes should warrant a premium to justify the extra cost of using any new nondestructive sensor technology. 

This presentation has the objective to explain postharvest physiology concepts to understand the potential nondestructive sensor applications in commercial operations. 

Coffee and cookies will be served.