Determining the mechanical properties of cherry tomato varieties for handling

Tomatoes, like other vegetables, are susceptible to different kinds of damage during and after harvest. Such damage is a major cause of quality loss in fruit. In order to reduce these losses, it is necessary to know the mechanical properties of the fruit. These mechanical properties of tomato were determined in terms of average rupture force, deformation energy, specific deformation and modulus of elasticity. Variance analysis was carried out on three tomato varieties, and the difference between the mean values was investigated by the least significant difference test. Mean values were represented with the standard error. The results provide useful data to be used by engineers in the design of sorting, grading and packing machines, equipment for loading and unloading, storage structures, drying equipment, (all postharvest operations), harvesting machines and conveyors.