Abstract: A method for determining the quality and ripeness of fruit and vegetable products includes the steps of irradiating a fruit or vegetable product with radiating light; measuring the absorbance of the product at the wavelengths of 670 nm and 720 nm; determining the difference of absorbances measured at the wavelengths of 670 nm and 720 nm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining the quality of fruit and vegetable products. The method comprises the following steps: irradiation of a product with light radiation with at least a wavelength centred on the values 670 nm±50 nm; measuring of the absorbance of the radiation with wavelength of 670 nm and 720 nm return wavelength from the product; calculation of the absorbance difference between the values of the wavelengths at 670 nm and at 720 nm; obtaining from said difference an index the value of which is correlated with various parameters of the quality of the product: hardness of the pulp, Brix grades, ethylene concentration, etc.