IMPROVED LASER-PUFF FOOD FIRMNESS DETECTOR

Firmness measurements are made nondestructively and without mechanical contact with a food firmness detector originated at the University of Georgia.
A soft product deforms more than a firm one does when a controlled puff of air from a nozzle impinges on the surface.
The deformation at the center of the small indention is measured with a laser displacement sensor.
An early prototype detector demonstrated the validity of the detector concept.
A new detector about the size of a tower computer was built (10 % the volume of the previous design). Control from a notebook computer enables a similar reduction in the number of steps needed to obtain a firmness value.
Pressure is set with a click of the mouse.
Another click releases the puff of air and initiates data collection, analysis, and storage processes.
The new design was compared with the original prototype by calculating modulus of deformability values from 100 tests on peaches (r = 0.866). However, additional improvements on the nozzle and valve are planned for reducing variability in results (c.v. for old was 1.62 % while the new was 4.04 %).

III International Symposium on Sensors in Horticulture

S.E. Prussia, Y.C. Hung

Texture, Fruit, Vegetable, Non-destructive.

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2001.562.16