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International Agrophysics
publisher:Institute of Agrophysics
Polish Academy of Sciences
Lublin, Poland
ISSN: 0236-8722


vol. 14, nr. 2 (2000)

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Quality parameter of storage apple as a firmness
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Dobrzański B.1, Rybczyński R.1, Gołacki K.2
1 Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, P.O. Box 201, 20-290 Lublin 27, Poland
2 Institute of Technical Sciences, University of Agriculture, Doświadczalna 50a, 20-280 Lublin, Poland

vol. 14 (2000), nr. 2, pp. 149-157
abstract Different physical parameters related to firmness were studied for apple fruit. Fruit were kept in different conditions up to 30 weeks to show a wide range of mechanical behaviour. Refrigerated storage, regular storage frequently applied in small farm in Poland, and storage with artificial high temperature were used in this study to ensure different softness of fruit. Water potential of apple flesh was measured using the HR-33T microvoltmeter equipped with the C-52 sample chamber. The most important mechanical factors related to fruit firmness were determined in different way using Instron machine equipped in each case with special adapters. Application of simple devices designed by the authors for the estimation of the slight changes in fruit firmness during storage is presented.
keywords apple, firmness, physical properties, water potential, quality