WASET
	%0 Journal Article
	%A G. La Scalia and  M. Enea and  R. Micale and  O. Corona and  L. Settanni
	%D 2015
	%J International Journal of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
	%B World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
	%I Open Science Index 101, 2015
	%T Damage to Strawberries Caused by Simulated Transport
	%U https://publications.waset.org/pdf/10001237
	%V 101
	%X The quality and condition of perishable products
delivered to the market and their subsequent selling prices are
directly affected by the care taken during harvesting and handling.
Mechanical injury, in fact, occurs at all stages, from pre-harvest
operations through post-harvest handling, packing and transport to
the market. The main implications of this damage are the reduction of
the product’s quality and economical losses related to the shelf life
diminution. For most perishable products, the shelf life is relatively
short and it is typically dictated by microbial growth related to the
application of dynamic and static loads during transportation. This
paper presents the correlation between vibration levels and
microbiological growth on strawberries and woodland strawberries
and detects the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in
order to develop an intelligent logistic unit capable of monitoring
VOCs using a specific sensor system. Fresh fruits were exposed to
vibrations by means of a vibrating table in a temperature-controlled
environment. Microbiological analyses were conducted on samples,
taken at different positions along the column of the crates. The values
obtained were compared with control samples not exposed to
vibrations and the results show that different positions along the
column influence the development of bacteria, yeasts and filamentous
fungi.

	%P 480 - 485