Stress Analysis in Fruits

Abstract

It is a known phenomenon that loads during fruit treatment (e.g., harvesting, transport, and manipulating) result in the damage of product parts, primarily below the surface. The maximum stress likely develops inside the fruit, which leads to its damage. This phenomenon was analysed in a general manner (general material properties, unit load) by finite element method (FEM) simulations on an apple and a pear. The shell was found to have a significant effect on the developed stress state, especially for juicy fruits. The mechanism that determines how the stress properties of tomatoes affect the stress state was analysed. According to our model, the stress maxima develop in the middle of the analysed fruits. Such stress maxima might be the reason for the inner damage, which, in the case of a missing healing period, results in fruit breakage.