UV excited fluorescence image-based non-destructive method for early detection of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) spoilage

Zichen Huang; Ken Abamba Omwange; Lok Wai Jacky Tsay; Yoshito Saito; Eri Maai; Akira Yamazaki; Ryohei Nakano; Tetsuya Nakazaki; Makoto Kuramoto; Tetsuhito Suzuki; Yuichi Ogawa; Naoshi Kondo

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130776

UV excited fluorescence image-based non-destructive method for early detection of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) spoilage

Food Chem. 2022 Jan 30:368:130776. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130776. Epub 2021 Aug 5.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Biosensing Engineering, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
² Laboratory of Biosensing Engineering, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan; Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. Electronic address: saito.yoshito.56v@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
³ Laboratory of Plant Production Control (Experimental Farm), Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0218, Japan; Faculty of International Agriculture and Food Studies, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan.
⁴ Laboratory of Plant Production Control (Experimental Farm), Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0218, Japan.
⁵ Advanced Research Support Center, Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.

PMID: 34425344
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130776

Abstract

The soon spoiled strawberries need to be classified from healthy fruits in an early stage. In this research, a machine vision system is proposed for inspecting the quality of strawberries using ultraviolet (UV) light based on the excitation-emission matrix (EEM) results. Among the 100 fruits which were harvested and stored under 10 °C condition for 7 days, 7 fruits were confirmed to be spoiled by using a firmness meter. The EEM results show the fluorescence compound contributes to a whitish surface on the spoiled fruits. Based on the EEM results, UV fluorescence images from the bottom view of strawberries were used to classify the spoiled fruits and healthy fruits within 1 day after harvest. These results demonstrate the UV fluorescence imaging can be a fast, non-destructive, and low-cost method for inspecting the soon spoiled fruits. The proposed index related to the spoiling time can be a new indicator for qualifying strawberry.

Keywords: Excitation-emission matrix; Fragaria × ananassa; Machine vision; Non-destructive; Spoiled fruits; Strawberry.

MeSH terms

Fluorescence
Fragaria*
Fruit
Ultraviolet Rays