Food science articles
Natural Alternatives for Postharvest Avocado Storage
Due to the rising preference for organic food, it is becoming necessary to replace chemical coating on fruits with natural alternatives. Recent studies from South Africa have found a potential replacement for avocados, which could substantially reduce postharvest losses. A small handheld ethylene measuring device played a key role in this exciting new research. Avocado… Continue reading…
In-line VIS-NIR Spectroscopy for Produce Sorting
Consumers expect that the fruits and vegetables they buy are of the highest quality. Therefore, more in-depth quality control and sorting systems are increasingly being used to ensure that supplies reaching retailers meet the required standards. Many fruits and vegetables today are still sorted mostly on the basis of external features such as color, size,… Continue reading…
Coffee and Ethylene | Influence of Ethylene Production and Gene Expression on Anthesis in Coffee
Ethylene (C2H4), a hormone produced in the roots and shoots of a plant, is responsible for the ripening processes in climacteric fruits, germination of seeds, elongation of the stem, and senescence of leaves. Depending on the species, ethylene can also encourage or inhibit flowering, pollen and ovule development, flower opening, and senescence. Moreover, ethylene can… Continue reading…
Importance of Monitoring Ethylene Post-Harvest
Ethylene is a phyto-hormone present in plants. Levels of the hormone that exist normally in storage facilities are high enough to reduce post-harvest time in the case of both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. It is, therefore, necessary to monitor the levels of ethylene accurately at various points of fresh produce supply chains. Until recently, there… Continue reading…
Gas Analysis in Agriculture
Three main gases have to be monitored in the production of fruits and vegetables: oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ethylene. They are essential in the post-harvest stage and greenhouse production of vegetables and fruits. We discuss the roles of the three gases and some relevant field technologies used in analyzing and controlling their levels. The Need… Continue reading…
A Fresh Perspective on Produce Storage
Food security and the quality of products are two vital aspects that concern not only producers, but also planners and governments. Nearly half of the fresh produce is lost, but much of this loss can be prevented by using technological solutions that have been tried and tested. A new wave of innovations has miniaturized techniques,… Continue reading…
First Conference of 2020!
Did you see us at the 70th Agronomic Congress of Chile recently? Our representative had a great time and enjoyed speaking with everyone! Keep an eye out for upcoming confernces as well because conference season 2020 (let’s be honest, it’s most of the year) is about to begin here at Felix Instruments and we’ve got… Continue reading…
How Many Samples do I Need? A Formula for our Quality Meters!
Have you looked at our Produce Quality Meters including the Avocado, Mango, and Kiwi specific models but aren’t sure how many samples you would take? Here is an excerpt from an article written by Jeremy Walsh and Kerry Walsh of Central Queensland University that covers this topic: So how many samples should be taken, i.e.,… Continue reading…
“When are my Mangoes Ready for Harvest?”
Our F-751 Mango Quality Meter measures brix and dry matter of the fruit non-destructively both on and off the tree making it useful for breeders, growers, packers, and shippers! Recently, we have had several people asking what the optimal range of dry matter and brix should be for Mangoes to be harvested (Keitt and Kent)… Continue reading…
A Quality Meter for Researchers using Near Infrared Spectroscopy
The primary focus in crop research has been prediction and management of fruit quality parameters. Moreover, the concept of fruit quality at maturity as a predictor of later post-storage quality is being increasingly exploited in breeding programs to develop varieties that can successfully meet consumer demands. Scientists are increasingly turning to portable visual NIR spectroscopies… Continue reading…