Non‐destructive monitoring of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis, L) quality changes during storage using NIR spectroscopy

Abstract

SummaryStoring asparagus under controlled conditions is crucial to preserve its freshness and quality after harvest. However, there may be changes in firmness and weight. This study aimed to evaluate surface changes of green asparagus using near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy during storage at 2, 10 and 15 °C for 12 days. Weight loss, firmness and NIR absorbance in 900–1700 nm were measured. The results showed that the storage temperature and time had a significant influence on the weight loss and firmness values. A partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS–DA) with first derivative spectral pre‐treatment performed well and achieved an average accuracy of 86.6% in cross‐validation. Furthermore, the partial least squares regression (PLSR) model accurately predicted weight loss (RCV2 = 0.97, RMSECV = 1.04%) and firmness (RCV2 = 0.97, RMSECV = 1.89 N). Therefore, NIR spectroscopy was efficient in monitoring asparagus quality changes during storage at different temperatures and durations.