Scanning electron microscopy study of microstructure damage and micromechanical behavior of potato tissue by impact during storage

Abstract

Impact damage of potato occurs during handling, transportation, sorting, and storage. In this research, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was employed to investigate the micromechanical changes of potato tissue by applying impact levels of 0 (control), 0.032, 0.185, and 0.335 J over a 16‐week storage period. Specific gravity, moisture content, cell turgor pressure, mechanical properties of tissue were determined. The cell section area, cell perimeter, and cell roundness and impact damage were obtained through the analysis of SEM images. The analysis showed a significant correlation between micromechanical properties and physiological changes for impacted potato tissue during the storage (p < .01). With increasing impact energy and storage time, a statistically significant decrease occurred in water content, cell turgor pressure, and microstructural features. Variations in mechanical properties of non‐impacted potato tissue during storage included increased specific gravity and puncture parameters. The interaction between the impact levels and storage time on the impact damage was statistically significant (p < .05), so that a higher impact energy leads to an increase in the impact damage during storage time. It was indicated the largest distorted microstructure with maximum physiological alterations in storage duration. These results would be of great assistance in optimization and design of pressing machines, which are important for the development of the food industry. Practical applications This article examines the microstructural and micromechanical changes in the impacted potato tissue during storage. Moreover, it investigates the importance of controlling potato damage due to dynamic loads during harvest and post‐harvest processes, the role of the impact severity on the damage, and damage spread in tissue during the storage period. The electron microscope images of the impact location are reported in this article, which is helpful for predicting the damage in the potato tissue using finite element simulation.

Effect of dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma on the bruise susceptibility of plum fruit

“…Bruised tissues exhibited the damage holes defined as areas occupied by crystal and increased intercellular regions. In the same manner, researchers used SEM to reveal the effect of the impact of energy on the tissue of fresh fruits such as pomegranate (Hussein et al, 2019), tomato (Sun et al, 2021), potato (Nikara et al, 2018), and kiwifruit (Gao et al, 2021). Hussein et al (2019) reported that although the damaged cells of the peel tissue were observable by SEM, the damage size could not be detectable between storage time (4 and 48 h).…”

Experimental Test and Finite Element Analysis of Potato Impact Acceleration

“…The impact acceleration of potato not only has a positive correlation with its damage (Thomson and Lopresti, 2018;Xie, 2020a), but also is the key parameter to the study of potato impact kinematics and dynamics. Researchers have adopted experimental studies 1 to analyze the potato mechanical impact and bruising based on various instruments including pendulum collision device, free drop collision device, electronic potato, instrumented sphere and acceleration measuring unit (Canneyt et al, 2004;Dănilă, 2015;Deng et al, 2020;Geyer et al, 2009;Hyde et al, 1992;Mathew and Hyde, 1997;Nikara et al, 2018;Rady and Soliman, 2015;Strehmel et al, 2010;Xie et al, 2018;Xie et al, 2020a;Xie et al, 2020b). But in the process of mechanized harvesting, sorting and transporting, potatoes usually collide with cylindrical steel rods with different tilt angles in different directions, which is a very complicated process.…”

Impact peak force measurement of potato

“…Impact damage to potatoes is a common phenomenon during harvesting and post-harvesting operations. [1][2][3] It has been reported that 70% of the damage to potatoes is caused by harvesting, and impact and pressure are the main causes. [4] Mechanical damage and collision abrasion seriously affect potato yield and cause a dual decline of potato appearance and quality that affect the development of the entire potato industry.…”