The evolution of spectrophotometers used in fruit quality assessment

A number of in-field visible and shortwave near infrared spectrophotometers have been targeted to the horticultural industry for the non-invasive assessment of aspects of fruit quality. A system used in the field or pack-house must demonstrate robustness in terms of function in the face of varying temperature and ambient light levels. Instrument specifications for application to assessment of fruit TSS and dry matter are reviewed, in terms of wavelength range, resolution and accuracy, light source type and stability, detector type, referencing procedure, system repeatability and flexibility will also be reviewed.