Evaluation and Estimation of Damage to Tree-Ripened ‘Irwin’ Mangos from Repetitive Shock during Transportation

抄録

The present study aimed to prevent tree-ripened ‘Irwin’ mangos from being damaged when transported over long distances. We examined the effects of differences in the peak acceleration (P_Acc) of the external shock, as well as the number of repeated shocks, on damage to mangos. The results suggested that damage to ripened mangos was caused by cumulative fatigue, and the degree of damage (D) when a given level of P_Acc had been applied to mangos was calculated. We also analysed the shock conditions during mango transportation, including by ship, and predicted the damage during transportation based on the above relationship between P_Acc and D. Although damage to mangos was not predicted for the transportation routes that had been selected for examination in the present study, the results also suggested that the cushioning ability of the existing packaging may be insufficient depending on the condition of the mangos. In the present study, therefore, laboratory tests were conducted to examine the relationships between P_Acc, the number of repeated shocks, and damage to the fruit; an analysis was conducted to measure the shock during transportation. These results may enable to develop measures to prevent damage to tree-ripened mangos depending on the route and method of transportation.