Non-destructive ultrasonic test of orange dehydration

Penetration tests (Magness-Taylor, force/deformation, Kramer multiblade shear) applied directly over the peel of the fruit are the most acceptable methods for measuring firmness and turgidity of fruits and vegetables [1, 2]. To replace these destructive and mechanical penetration methods by non-destructive ultrasonic measurements implies a great advance in order to obtain fast studies about the state of the fruit at the time of harvest, during storage, and in the distribution points. Moreover, there are other advantages since this technique can be fast, non-destructive, fully automated, and performed on-line [1]. Within this context, the objective of this study was to examine the relationship between physico-mechanical characteristics (oil-gland break stress, thickness and dehydration) and ultrasonic characteristics in the ``Salustiana'' orange peel during the complete dehydration process of the orange at ambient conditions. After a description of the measurement system [3], the fruit selection procedure and the measurement protocol, we analyze the results of the change of physico-mechanical and ultrasonic properties in the orange peel and their change with storage time.