Document Type : Research Paper

Abstract

The losses of agricultural products decrease the market share and increase the need for imports, factors that can damage the national economy. Mechanical damage is a major factor in loss after harvest. This study examined the effect of vibration frequency and acceleration on damage to kiwi fruit during road transport. A factorial test (2 frequency × 2 acceleration) in a completely randomized design with three replications was used. The rate of damage was the percentage of damaged fruit and the percentage of fruit bruised to a depth of greater than 2 mm (critical damage). Vibration frequencies of 7.5 and 13 Hz and accelerations of 0.3 and 0.7 g were selected for test. Analysis of the data indicated that the effect of frequency and acceleration was significant for the percentage of total damaged fruit (p < 0.01). The effect of frequency was significant for the percentage of bruised fruit (p < 0.05), but the effect of acceleration was not significant. Increasing the frequency and acceleration increased the mechanical damage to the kiwi fruit. The maximum average of total damaged fruits and fruits with a bruise depth greater than 2 mm were 40.3 and 30.71, respectively, at a frequency of 13 Hz and acceleration of 0.7 g.

Keywords

Acican, T., Alibas, K. and Ozelkok, I. S. 2006. Mechanical damage to apples during transport in wooden crates. Biosyst. Eng. 96(2): 239-248.
Ahmadi, E. 2012. Bruise susceptibilities of kiwifruit as affected by impact and fruit properties. Res. Agric. Eng. 58, 107-113.
Anon.  2005. Annual Statistics. Horticultural Report. FAO. Italy.
Anon. 2009. Identity Card of Picture of Kiwifruits. Ministry of Jahad-e-Agriculture of Iran. (in Farsi)
Barchi, G. L., Berardinelli, A., Guarnieri, A., Ragni, L. and Totaro Fila, C. 2002. Damage to loquasts by vibration-simulating intra-state transport. Biosyst. Eng. 82, 305-312.
Chesson, J. H. and O'Brien, M. 1971. Analysis of mechanical vibration of fruit during transportation.
T.  ASAE. 14, 222-224.
Fischer, D., Craig, W. and Ashby, B. H. 1990. Reducing transportation damage to grapes and strawberries. J. Food Dist. Res. 21, 193-202.
Hinsch, R. T., Slaughter, D. C., Craig, W. L. and Thompson, J. F. 1993. Vibration of fresh fruits and vegetables during refrigerated truck transport. T. ASAE. 36, 1039-1042.
Holt, J. E. and Schoorl, D. 1985. A theoretical and experimental analysis of the effect of suspension and road profile on bruising in multilayered apple packs. J. Agric. Eng. Res. 31, 297-308
Mirzai-Moghaddam, H., Tavakoli-Hashjin T., Minai, S. and Faghihnasiri, M. 2007. Evaluation of effects
of size and variety and time storage on qualitative properties of kiwi fruit. J. Sci. Food Tech. Iran.
4, 19-26. (in Farsi)
Moghimi, A., Aghkhani, M. H., Sazgarnia, A. and Sarmad, M. 2007. Nondestructive evaluation of internal quality characteristics of kiwifruit by Vis/NIR spectroscopy. J. Hortic. Sci. 22(2): 113-121. (in Farsi)  
Mohsenin, N. N. 1978. Physical Properties of Food and Agricultural Materials. 2nd Revised and Update Edition. Gordon and Breach Science Pub. New York.
O'Brien, M. and Fridley, R. B. 1970. Measurement of vibrations related to harvesting and handling of   fruits and vegetables. T. ASAE. 13(6): 870-873.
O'Brien, M. and Guillou, R. 1969. An in-transit vibration simulator for fruit-handling studies. T. ASAE.
12, 94-97
O'Brien, M., Pearl, R. C., Vilas Jr, E. P. and Driesbach, R. L. 1969. The magnitude and effect of in-transit vibration damage of fruits and vegetables on processing quality and yield. T. ASAE. 12, 452-455.
Oguet, H., Peker, A. and Aydin, C. 1999. Simulated transit studies on peaches: effects of container cushion materials and vibration on elasticity modulus. Agric. Mech. Asia Afr. Lat. Am. 30, 59-62.
Olorunda, A. O. and Tung, M. A. 1985. Simulated transit studies on tomatoes: effects of compressive load, container, vibration and maturity on mechanical damage. J. Food Tech. 20, 669-678.
Shahbazi, F., Rajabipour, A., Mohtasebi, S. and Rafie, Sh. 2008. Effects of transport vibrations on modulus of elasticity watermelon, variety crimson sweet. Iranian J. Biosyst. Eng. 40(1): 15-25. (in Farsi)
Shahbazi, F., Rrjabipour, A., Mohtasebi, S. and Rafie, Sh. 2010. Simulated in-transit vibration damage to watermelons. J. Agric. Sci. Tech. 12, 23-34.
Slaughter, D. C., Hinsch, R. T. and Thompson,  J. F. 1993. Assessment of vibration injury to Bartlett pears. T. ASAE. 36, 1043-1047.
Timm, E. J., Brown, G. K. and Armstrong, P. R. 1996. Apple damage in bulk bins during semi-trailer transport. Appl. Eng. Agric. 12, 369-377.
Van Zeebroeck, M., Tijskens, E., Dintwa, E., Kafashan, J., Loodts, J., De Baerdemaeker, J. and Ramon, H. 2006. The discrete element method (DEM) to simulate fruit impact damage during transport
and handling: Case study of vibration damage during apple bulk transport. Postharvest Biol. Tech. 41(1): 92-100.