Objective organoleptic, structural-and-mechanical parameters of vegetables depending on their degree of ripeness

ArticleOrganoleptic, structural-and-mechanical indicators determine the suitability of fruiting vegetables for harvesting and preservation, as well as the ratio of separate parts of the fruit. All these indicators affect the quality of products. Experimental work was carried out in the conditions of the laboratory of the Department of Technology of Storing and Processing of Grain. A complex of organoleptic, commercial, physical and thermophysical indicators of eggplant, sweet pepper and tomato fruits were developed in the work to determine the time of their harvesting. It was determined that physical density and mechanical strength in the fruits of sweet pepper of technical degree of ripeness were 6% higher than in the fruits of biological degree of ripeness. Peculiarities of the ripeness degree significantly affected the amount of inedible part of the fruit (seeds, seed cavity and peduncle), which was 1.2 times less in sweet pepper fruits of technical degree of ripeness than biological degree of ripeness. Considerable varietal difference of eggplant fruits by the amount of edible and inedible parts of the fruit was determined. Peculiarities of the variety also significantly affected the density and hardness of the fruit. Red tomatoes fruits of Iskorka variety had tender pulp consistency and relatively low fruit density (0.88 g cm- ³) and mechanical strength (3.00 kg cm- ²). The objective organoleptic, structural-and-mechanical indicators of fruiting vegetables were determined depending on their degree of ripeness; to determine the optimal time of harvesting the fruits of eggplant, sweet pepper, tomato