Effect of Mechanical Damage on the Quality and Electrical Parameters of Minikiwi Fruits

Abstract

The mechanical damage caused to fruits during transportation shortens their shelf life considerably. This study proposes a method for nondestructive detection of fruit mechanical damage based on electrical parameters. This study developed a flexible electrode capable of nondestructively acquiring electrical parameters from fruits to measure the electrical parameters of minikiwi fruits under varying degrees of mechanical damage. The results demonstrated the excellent flexibility and stable electrical parameter acquisition capability of the fabricated sensor. The impedance value (Z) exhibited a decreasing trend with prolonged damage duration. At 4 Hz, for a damage duration of 0–2 h, the Z difference reached 2,569,406.1 Ω, whereas at 1 MHz, this discrepancy reduced to 1527.3 Ω. As mechanical vibrations disrupt the integrity of the cell walls, leading to a decrease in free water content, these changes collectively result in impedance reduction. The proposed flexible electrodes demonstrated satisfactory bending resistance, tensile strength, and electrical conductivity, making them suitable for integration into robotic arms for real-time fruit quality assessment during grasping operations. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the development of electrical parameter-based nondestructive detection systems for assessing fruit mechanical damage.