Effect of Fruit Properties on Pomegranate Bruising

Abstract

Pomegranate fruit quality is adversely affected by bruise damage. Bruises are formed by a variety of static loads and dynamic impacts on the fruit when it strikes any other object during handling, sorting, packaging, or transportation. In order to be able to reduce this damage, it is necessary to ascertain the influence of fruit properties on bruise susceptibility. An experimental study was performed with varying storage time, temperature, and impact region. In these experiments, pomegranates were dropped from three heights onto a flat aluminum surface. Significant effects on bruising in relation to storage time, temperature, impact region, and their interactions were found (p < 0.05). It was concluded that higher fruit temperature, firmness, and peel thickness reduced bruise damage to the pomegranate fruit. Moreover, storage time and increased radius of curvature increased the bruise volume and bruise area, respectively.