BRUISE RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS IN APPLES

A quick and easy method of measuring the bruise resistance of apples is described. The method is based on the strong linear correlation between energy absorbed and bruise volume from which is calculated a bruise resistance coefficient, with units ml joule. The bruise resistance coefficient can be accurately determined by dropping a sample of 10 apples. For each drop the energy absorbed is calculated from measured drop height, rebound height and apple mass. The bruise volume on each apple is calculated from measured apple diameter, bruise diameter and bruise depth. The bruise resistance coefficient is effective in the evaluation of packaging, handling and distribution systems for apples.