This book includes the impact, compression, vibration studies, and destructive and nondestructive techniques for bruise measurement. It is essential to detect bruises in the early stages of their formation and conduct a quantitative analysis of the degree of bruising, to ensure the accurate grading of bruised fruits and vegetables and reduce unnecessary economic losses. Bruise damage occurring between the point of harvest and consumption contributes the most to the decrease in fruit quality, reducing the market value and ultimately leading to significant reductions in potential revenue. SDG 12.3 aims to “by 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.”
This book presents recent technological developments in bruise measurement, detection, and analysis of fresh horticultural produce. Given the rising demand for rapid and accurate methods of quality measurement in the horticultural produce industry, this book covers destructive and nondestructive techniques for bruise measurement. Selected applications of different nondestructive methods for various fresh produce commodities are also included.
This book will interest graduate and undergraduate students, researchers, academics and engineers working in different aspects of the mechanical damage affected by postharvest handling practices, professionals working in the governments, and other authorities related to fresh horticultural produce quality, regulations, and safety.
Author Biography:
Dr. Pankaj Pathare is an Associate Professor of Postharvest Technology at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Oman. Before joining SQU, he worked as a researcher at Newcastle University, UK and Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Over the years, he has gained expertise in postharvest technology & food engineering which includes quantification of Postharvest losses during transportation, Mechanical damage of perishables, Food granulation, Food drying and cooling, Structural design for ventilated corrugated packaging, Renewable energy in food processing and Energy efficient production processes in SME food & beverage industry. The research results are well documented in 68 original scientific papers published in international peer-reviewed journals and several conference presentations. According to the Scopus, his H-index is 19 & citation - 3202. In 2021, he was recognized among World's Top 2% scientists around the world, published by Stanford University, USA. He is a member of the editorial board for several international research journals.
Professor Umezuruike Linus Opara is a Distinguished Professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Chair of SARChI Postharvest Technology and founding Director – Africa Institute for Postharvest Technology. Graduated with BEng/MEng in Agricultural Engineering (cum laude) from the University of Nigeria, PhD from Massey University, New Zealand, and published over 320 peer-reviewed articles/book chapters, graduated over 70 MSc/MEng/PhD students, and recognized by Web of Science Group as a “Highly Cited Researcher” – “world's most influential researchers of the past decade”. Numerous awards and honors include the African Union’s Kwame Nkrumah Continental Award for Life and Earth Sciences – Africa’s highest research award for senior researchers, IMPRESSA Award for “excellence in research and building Africa’s human resources capacity”, Distinguished Researcher Award by Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, and Chancellor’s Award for “sustained excellence in research” by Stellenbosch University. Founding Editor-in-Chief – International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, founding President – Pan African Society for Agricultural Engineering, and past President – International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.
