The Effect of Mechanical Loads on Apple Damage after Storage

Today، It is well known that mechanical damage is the major source of post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables. In this research، decrease of product sensitivity to impact due to the effect of variety، harvesting، and handling methods as well as the duration of storage were studied. Therefore، based on a series of mechanical tests، effect of variety، impact energy and duration of storage were investigated on mechanical damage to apples. The results showed that in comparing the two varieties، Golden delicious had more strength than Red delicious. Also، it was found that maximum losses were related to the Red delicious variety، equal to 8. 4% of total volume of fruit at the 1210 mJ level of impact energy and in the period of 12 days after harvest. Minimum losses were related to the Golden delicious variety equal to 1% of total volume at 410 mJ level of impact energy 67 days after harvest. According to the results، apple bruise threshold decreased significantly with increasing storage time. Also، percent of bruise volume increased with increasing level of kinetic energy، but bruise resistance and bruise threshold had no change. The interaction of time × variety significantly affected bruise resistance and percent of bruise volume، While the triple interaction of time × variety × energy had no significant effect on the dependent variables.