Effect of Loading Position and Storage Duration on the Textural Properties of Eggplant

Abstract

Eggplant has a very limited shelf life and, like other vegetables, is susceptible to different types of damage during and after harvest operations. Besides, according to the inner construction of eggplant fruit, it can be regarded as an inhomogeneous system. It is therefore important to specify how storage might affect their mechanical properties and how they vary in morphology.In this work, eggplants were divided into three portions along the longitudinal axis and their textural properties were separately investigated using different types of test over a 10-day period of storage at ~11˚C and ~90% relative humidity (RH). The results showed that the tension strength, rupture force and Young's modulus of skin tissue decreased with increasing the length of storage period, and they were generally different in the different portions of the fruit that were sampled as these properties in the upper section were larger than those of the middle and bottom sections. The values of Young's modulus and rupture force of pulp tissue taken from compression tests decreased from 1.466 to 0.821 MPa and 20.70 to 17.66 N for upper section, 0.637 to 0.536 MPa and 15.33 to 13.13 N for middle section and 0.518 to 0.422 MPa and 14.19 International Journal of Food Properties A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 2 to 12.19 N for bottom section, respectively with the increase in storage period. Similarly, as the samples were stored longer, the Young's modulus and rupture force of their combined skin and pulp tissues, obtained from penetration tests, decreased from 3.01 to 2.02 MPa and 31.21 to 24.95 N for upper section, 2.59 to 1.66 MPa and 28.64 to 21.66 N for middle section and 1.91 to 1.15 MPa and 23.18 to 17.37 N for bottom section, respectively. It was concluded that the mechanical resistance noticeably decreased towards the bottom third of the fruit.

Meta analysis on color, total flavonoids, antioxidants, frictional, mechanical, and cutting force of moringa pods

“…In contrast, studies reported that puncture forces declined at low moisture content because as the moisture level drops, the pectin present in the skin gets degraded, eventually, it loosens the cell wall (Ekrami‐Rad et al, 2011). Similarly, the extensibility of fibers gets reduced at low moisture content, and the fibers do not extend too far and shatter with less force; thus, the puncture force value becomes less (Miraei Ashtiani et al, 2016). Moisture loss induces cell tugor reduction, which can also lead to a change in puncture force with respect to moisture.…”

Effectiveness of different packaging films and trays on mushrooms ( Agaricus bisporus ) subjected to simulated transportation conditions at different vibration frequencies

“…An increase in water loss may also cause a decrease in hardness (Oz et al., 2015). Since cells with high humidity have high flexibility and extensibility and this condition allowed them to resist the forces (Miraei Ashtiani et al., 2015) occurred during transportation.…”

An evaluation of African eggplant fruits engineering properties in relation to robotic harvesting

“…Hence, it is crucial factor to have the knowledge of the agricultural products' mechanical properties, during the design, construction, and applications of agricultural robots (Ekruyota and Uguru, 2021;Uguru and Akpenyi-Aboh, 2021). Relevant data on the physic-mechanical and textural properties of fruits are vital tool in the workout plan of better robot grippers, for optimum area gripped by the robot on the fruit's surface (Ashtiani et al, 2016). Areas found in the research literature where the physical and the mechanical properties has been applied is in two tomato cultivars used for the design and utilization of tomato fruit harvesting robot (Li et al, 2011).…”

“…Physical and micromechanical properties of tomato fruit's epicarp and mesocarp, which are useful in the production of harvest and post-harvest unit operations robots, were studied by Arazuri et al (2007) and Gladyszewska and Ciupak (2009). Ashtiani et al (2016) investigated some engineering properties of eggplant (cv. Siah-e-Mashhad) fruits, concerning the fruit's region (part) and orientation, which are essential in the design and applications of robots.…”