Food science articles

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Improving Kiwifruit Quality 

Dry matter (DM) and postharvest management will determine the final kiwifruit quality, so precisely estimating DM at harvest is essential.   The main aim of postharvest handling is to reduce fruit softening due to ripening, as the fruit is delicate.  Research in postharvest handling and processing suitable for local conditions is in varying stages of readiness… Continue reading…

Felix Instruments Heads to Fruit Logistica 2023!

The Felix Instruments team is heading to Fruit Logistica 2023! The leading fruit industry event, slated for February 8 – 10, is a tremendous opportunity to explore the latest in fruit industry trends, methods, and technology. We look forward to seeing you there and connecting you with the technology that will take your business to the next level! Come… Continue reading…

The Relationship Between Dry Matter, Season, and Consumer Satisfaction 

Producing fruits whose quality meets consumer satisfaction is the new standard in the food industry.  Effects of seasonal growing conditions on mango dry matter accumulation were monitored in two cultivars since most harvest indices are based only on summer data.  Dry matter content was closely related to soluble sugars and consumer satisfaction but was not… Continue reading…

Future-Proof Your Quality: How to Harness the Power of Spectroscopy in Commercial Agriculture – Part 1

Request a Quote | Schedule a Consultation Welcome to the first installment in our webinar series on spectroscopy in agriculture! This 6-part series will cover the A-Z of internal quality assessment, spectroscopy, chemometrics, model building, model validation, and optimization in a commercial agriculture setting. In Part 1: Intro to NIR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics, Director of… Continue reading…

Empowering Small-Scale Farmers: The Avocado Society of Kenya’s Innovative Approaches

The Avocado Society of Kenya is the leading association for avocado growers, exporters, and other key players in the industry. They strive to promote efficiency and organized marketing to ensure long-term profitability for avocado agribusiness in Kenya. Their vision is to take a leading role in creating a sustainable and profitable avocado industry. The society… Continue reading…

Precision Techniques can make Horticulture Sustainable

Precision horticulture can increase yields with fewer inputs.  These techniques optimize growing conditions by improving decision-making based on analyzed data to maximize fresh produce quality and yield.  Monitoring quality in all stages is crucial for horticulture crops.  Precision horticulture techniques are suitable for outdoor and indoor farms.  Precision horticulture is becoming attractive as it reduces… Continue reading…

Value Addition to Reduce Post-Harvest Losses

 We need to increase our food production to feed a growing population without using more land and water resources.  One way of improving food security is to reduce food loss in developed and developing countries by value addition.  Food value-addition initiatives exist at small scales around the globe, some of which have export potential.  Maintaining… Continue reading…

Methods of Active Packaging

How we buy and consume food has undergone enormous changes in the last decades. Consumers demand food that is minimally processed, has no chemical additives, and are nutritious and of high quality. In addition, there are stringent national and international controls on food to protect consumers’ health. Also, retailing and distribution have changed, making older… Continue reading…

Improving Avocado Quality

Quality avocados must be safe for consumption and satisfy consumer preferences like appearance and taste.   Dry matter content is crucial in estimating maturity, storage, and transport conditions, ripening duration, oil content, and consumer satisfaction.  Management during the production and postharvest stages is crucial to meet consumer preferences for avocados.  Avocados of different qualities can be… Continue reading…

How Warmer Nights Change Dry Matter Accumulation in Apples

Dry matter is the total of all solids in fruit, starch, sugars, lipids, pigments, acids, etc. We know farm management practices can influence dry matter accumulation in apples. There are also regional dissimilarities due to weather and soil differences. New findings indicate nocturnal temperature variations can also change dry matter. So how would dry matter accumulation… Continue reading…