Effect of Fruit Properties on Pomegranate Bruising

Abstract

Pomegranate fruit quality is adversely affected by bruise damage. Bruises are formed by a variety ofstatic 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 theinfluence of fruit properties on bruise susceptibility. An experimental study was performed with varyingstorage time, temperature, and impact region. In these experiments, pomegranates were dropped fromthree heights onto a flat aluminum surface. Significant effects on bruising in relation to storage time, tem-perature, impact region, and their interactions were found (p < 0.05). It was concluded that higher fruittemperature, 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