How to assess the quality of cherries and small fruits

A non-destructive method for measuring the firmness of the flesh of fruits such as cherries and blueberries has been developed by the Italian company TR Turoni, based in Forlì (Emilia-Romagna), whose strongest asset is based on years of research in technology to help fruit and vegetable growers achieve organoleptic quality in their crops.

Enrico Turoni

Owner Enrico Turoni explains: "As these are products that are sold at an important price/kg for the supply chain, they must reach the end market at the right degree of ripeness to satisfy the consumer. For both fruits, the firmness of the flesh is an important quality indicator. Most consumers appreciate the crispness at the moment of consumption."

The company TR Turoni offers a range of digital firmness testers. These can be used to measure the firmness of cherry and blueberry pulp quickly and easily. The device simulates the pressure of a finger on the fruit pulp, without breaking or penetrating it. It then provides the corresponding value.

"Thanks to this tool," continues Turoni, "it is possible to quickly, accurately and non-invasively assess the degree of firmness of the flesh of certain types of fruit. This is a very important ripeness index to monitor, as it has a direct impact on the shelf life of the product. This is why it is a priority to control it from the moment of harvest up to the point of sale."

Unlike the penetrometer, which is a destructive measurement, the main feature of this type of tool is that it does not destroy the fruit to be measured.

"Anyone who is interested can come and see and test the equipment in our stand 01 in hall B1."