Food science articles
6 Ways to Extend Instrument Life in Harsh Environments
Working in challenging conditions is part of the job for many industries, especially in agriculture, postharvest handling, and food science. Whether you are dealing with dust, moisture, temperature swings, or rough handling, protecting your equipment becomes essential. Extending instrument life in harsh environments is not just about saving money. It is about maintaining data accuracy,… Continue reading…
Signs Your Gas Sensor Needs Replacement
If you rely on a handheld analyzer for postharvest work, packaging checks, storage rooms, or ripening control, gas sensor replacement is not something to push off until the instrument completely fails. In practice, sensor problems usually show up gradually. Readings get less stable, calibration gets harder to hold, response times slow down, and the numbers… Continue reading…
7 Best Practices for Collecting NIR Data in the Field
Good field NIR data collection starts long before the first scan. In orchards, vineyards, and packing operations, the difference between useful data and noisy data usually comes down to sampling discipline, repeatable technique, and the right instrument setup. That is why field teams using handheld NIR tools need a process that matches the chemistry of… Continue reading…
5 Benefits of Pairing NIR Data with Firmness Tests
When produce teams talk about better maturity decisions, they usually end up discussing more than one metric. That is why NIR data matters most when it is paired with firmness tests. NIR data gives you fast, non-destructive insight into internal quality traits such as dry matter, Brix, titratable acidity, and internal color, while firmness testing… Continue reading…
How Do Plant Growth Regulators in Fruit Production Improve Yield and Quality?
Plant growth regulators (PGRs) regulate hormonal pathways that regulate fruit set, size, shape, color, firmness, taste, and aroma. PGRs can also synchronize fruit maturity and control postharvest ripening, senescence, physiological disorders, and microbial spoilage. PGRs rarely act in isolation but rather in a network of synergistic or antagonistic interactions. PGRs applied in correct, precise amounts… Continue reading…
Major Causes of Postharvest Decline in Fresh Produce
The main causes for postharvest decline in fresh produce are mechanical damage, respiration, transpiration, ethylene, and senescence. The importance of each cause varies across classes of fresh produce, including root vegetables, leafy vegetables, flower vegetables, immature fruit vegetables, and mature fruits. Adequate technology adoption can significantly reduce postharvest decline. Around 40-50% of fruits and vegetables… Continue reading…
Difference in Modified Atmosphere Packaging for Fresh Produce: Whole vs Cut Explained
Low-processed or cut fresh produce has higher rates of respiration, transpiration, ethylene production, and microbial spoilage than whole produce. Gas composition, packing material permeability, and use of additional hurdles differ for whole and cut fresh produce. It is advisable to monitor MAP headspace gas composition in the supply chain for quality control. Cut and ready-to-eat… Continue reading…
WEBINAR: Avocados, Now with AI: How AI and Customer Feedback Just Made the Avocado Quality Meter More Accurate and Far Easier to Use
The next-generation Felix Avocado Meter is here, and this webinar gives a full look at what makes it different. In this session, Galen George, Director of Applied Science, explains how AI and customer feedback helped shape a more accurate, easier-to-use approach to avocado dry matter analysis. From stronger performance across maturity stages to a refreshed… Continue reading…
How NIR Technology Supports the Circular Economy in Agriculture
Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy-based technology makes food production circular by improving process efficiency from farm to retailer. NIR technology helps design waste reduction at critical points in the food supply chain by providing non-destructive, real-time data on the external and internal quality of food. Monitoring crops with NIR enhances food value by ensuring the safety, nutrition,… Continue reading…
Truth About Calibration: Why Factory Settings Aren’t Forever
When you first power on a new instrument, it is easy to assume the factory settings will hold steady for years. In reality, gas analyzer calibration is not a one time event. It is an ongoing process that directly affects data integrity, storage decisions, and ultimately profitability. In postharvest environments where small shifts in oxygen,… Continue reading…
