Correlation between fruit color measurement and total soluble solids concentration in strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.)

Abstract

Quality assessment in strawberries is generally performed through refractometric techniques to determine total soluble solids (TSS). The objective of this work was to establish the correlation between fruit quality and two
different set of color parameters obtained through two colorimetric instruments. Three varieties of strawberries were harvested (‘Camarosa’, ‘Florida Festival’ and ‘Camino Real’) from the Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá – INTA, throughout the season 2013. In each fruit TSS content and colorimetric variables in two different color spaces were measured.We looked for the best correlating model within two color spaces and we found that the best correlation was reached with only the a* parameter from the CIE L*a*b* color space. However, the error
in the prediction of fruit quality based on color measurement was in the order of ±3° Brix.