Durian Maturity Meter by Dry Weight

P. Chaisrichonlathan and C. Chavapradit

Agricultural Engineering Research Institute,
Department of Agriculture,
Pathumthani 12120,
Thailand

Key words: durian, dry weight, capacitance, maturity meter

Abstract
Dry weight or dry matter is used as objective maturity index of durian for the
benefit of quality improvement, trade facilitation and consumer protection by
National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards and recently
resulted as international standard in 18th meeting of Codex Committee on Fresh
Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV). Durian fruits, naturally, consist of dry matter and
moisture which are inversely proportional. Immature fruit ensure low dry matter
but high moisture content. During maturation, moisture content decrease due to
moisture loss and dry matter accumulation. Standard dry weight determination
method is destructive and time consuming. Indirect moisture content determination
is based on theoretical material properties that moisture content of any material is
related to its electrical properties such as capacitance and resistance. A study on
relationship between capacitance and dry weight of durian were established as
nondestructive method with short period of determination. 2400 fruits for three
standard size codes ranging between 2 kg to 5 kg in weight were randomly selected
as a sample set. Capacitance values were found to increase with increasing dry
weight for all specified durian size. Capacitance value of durian samples was
determined through handheld measuring probe with 2 electrode pins. The electrode
pins were designed to insert to the peduncle of the sample at the point approximately
1 centimeter above the fruit. Capacitance value of durian samples was determined
by using microcontroller. The microcontroller was also used to display dry weight
in percentage on liquid-crystal display (LCD). The maturity determination for each
fruit was complete within 3 minutes. Sensitivity of durian maturity meter was 25%
at under-mature stage to 40% dry matter values at ripe stages of durian fruit.
Repeatability and accuracy was reassured at ± 1% of error.

INTRODUCTION
Durian is an important exports tropical fruit of Thailand. Planted and production
area in 2014 of durians in Thailand were 104,308 and 91,268 hectares, respectively.
Total durians production in the year 2014 was 631,631 tons. Exporting amount and value
were 387,553 tons and 13,842 million baths in 2014, respectively (Office of agricultural
economics, 2015). Major five exporting markets of Thai durians are China, Hong Kong,
Indonesia and Taiwan. Tendency of durian export is increase according to free trade
agreement. Non-tariff measures are different in each durian importing country, National
Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (2013) notified the establishment
of Thai Agricultural Standard entitled Durian to be used as a standard for the benefit of
quality improvement, trade facilitation and consumer protection. External appearance of
mature durian fruit specified in the standard are peduncle springiness with high intense
color, rough skin of peduncle, area around the joint between peduncle and fruit stem
swells and the peduncle is strong and springy when the fruit is swayed by holding the
peduncle, the groove between thorns becomes wider while thorn tips are drying with
brown color and are springy when squeezed, lengthwise track on the husk of locule is
more conspicuous with the exception of Garnyao variety. Montong is the most famous
exported durian variety of Thailand. Standard internal minimum characteristics of mature
green durian of Montong variety are light yellow pulp, brownish cream seed skin and
minimum dry weight (%) of 32. This percentage of dry weight is equity with provisions
concerning trading of durian fruit of 75% mature or about 6 - 9 days to become ripe after
harvest in natural condition.
Siriphanich and Sangwanangkul (2000) suggested that judging from dry weight
and total sugar content in pulp at 70, 80 and 90% commercial maturity were equivalent to
106, 113 and 120 day after anthesis. The minimum maturity stage of durian should not be
less than 106 day after anthesis and contain at least 32% dry weight. Dielectric
spectroscopy, which can be considered an emerging technology, has the advantage of
being an objective and a non-destructive technique for determination of fruit maturity as
the concrete application of apple fruit but they can be extended to other climacteric fruits
although more studies are necessary (Giraldez et al., 2010). Soltani et al., 2010 studied
capacitive property of banana fruit in order to develop a rapid and non-invasive ripening
assessment method to control their ripening treatment and indicated that the best
frequency of sine wave was 1 MHz. Permittivity at this frequency changed from 1.743 for
green-ripe banana fruits to 1.643 for full ripe ones after a five-day period. Stuart O
(1973) reported that moisture contents of material were related to their electrical
properties. Everard et al. (2006) developed prediction models for moisture and inorganic
salt contents of process cheeses by dielectric constants and dielectric loss factors
respectively. The models were found to have potential for use as quality control screening
application to measure moisture content and inorganic salt content of process cheese.
Dry weight determination complies with moisture and evaporable substance in
Thai Agricultural Standard entitled Durian number TAS 3-2013 on methods of analysis
and sampling. This determination method is destructive and takes quite a long time.
Chaisrichonlathan et al. (2010) reported that relationship between electrical properties
such as resistance and capacitance and dry weight of durian were established as
nondestructive method with short period of maturity determination. Capacitance and
resistance values were attained from digital multi-meter DT-9205A and Yokogawa 7555
digital multi-meter, respectively. Relationship between dry weight and capacitance
values is higher than resistance values by means of insertion of electrode pins to the
middle point of fertile locule of each durian sample. Capacitance properties can be
proposed to the design and development on dry weight meter for maturity determination
of durian. Durian maturity meter by dry weight was nondestructive method with precise
and short period of determination would be able to be local and international wisdom,
increasing consumers’ safety and export.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two thousand four hundred Monthong durians from Eastern and Southern parts of
Thailand were selected on various maturity stages and standard size codes SC-1 to SC-3
Size code of durian SC-1, SC-2 and SC-3 were weight per fruit more than 4 kg., more
than 3 kg. to 4 kg. and more than 2 kg. to 3 kg., respectively. (National Bureau of
Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, 2013). Durians were acquired 24 hours
after harvest. Measurements were taken within 24 hours after compilation.

Dry weight determination by durian maturity meter

Durian maturity prototype meter is an electrical instrument for indirectly
measuring percentage of dry matter by capacitance value of durian samples. The
prototype was study, design, assembly, test and development. Electrode pins, two steel
needles 15 mm. in length and 5 mm. apart were designed to fix at the top of cylindrical
Teflon holder 25 mm. in diameter and 150 mm. in length. Electrode pins were connected
to signal receiving circuit by 1000 mm. in length of electrical wires. Receiving signal
was conducted through conditioning circuit and finally converted from analog to digital
by microcontroller. (Fig. 1) Selector switch was applied for three standard size codes of
durians. Capacitance value of durian samples were determined and conversed to
percentage of dry weight by mean of microcontroller. PIC16F887 microcontroller was
displayed dry weight in percentage on liquid-crystal display (LCD) whenever reading
switch was pushed. Overall operating time of prototype meter was 8 hours by 6 volts, 1.3
amp-hours sealed lead acid battery. On-off switch was designed to start maturity
determination. (Fig. 2) Capacitance value of durian samples was determined through
handheld measuring probe with 2 electrode pins that insert to the peduncle of the sample
at the point approximately 1 centimeter above the fruit. (Fig. 3) Standard capacitance
value of each durian sample for comparison test was measured by digital multi-meter DT-
9205A (Fig. 4)

Dry weight determination by standard method

After indirect dry weight determination, samples were cross-section cut into three
sectors and three random samples were selected from the middle sectors for dry weight
determination. Fresh pulp of the selected sample was chopped into small pieces of 1x1x5
mm. and mixes thoroughly. 20 g. each of three samples per fruit were utilized for average
dry weight determination at 70 degree Celsius in air oven within 48 hours (TAS 3-2013).
Percentage of dry weight in wet basis for each sample was calculated by Eq. (1):
Durian dried weight (%) = (Weight after drying/weight before drying) x 100 Eq. (1)

Relationship analysis and different value between prototype device and standard
determination method were achieved. Durian maturity meter was determined for
repeatability, sensitivity, accuracy and reproductivity.

RESULTS AND DISBUSSION

Exponential relationship between the percentage of dry weight by durian maturity
meter and capacitance value of durian samples by digital multi-meter were achieved for
each size code of durian. Slop of exponential curves were decreasing with the decreasing
of size code or increasing with weight of durian. Capacitance values were increasing with
the increasing of % dry weight. (Fig. 5) Dry weight values of durian samples were
ranging between 25 to 40 % that is acceptable as sensitivity for under-mature to ripe
stages of durian fruit.
Relationship between prototype device and standard determination method were
linear regressions and shown in Fig. 6. Linear regressions slope of all size code were
quite equal or repeatability of the prototype device was high (R2 > 0.95). The percentages
of dry weight by standard methods were able to compare with the percentages by dry
weight by prototype device in every size code.
Accuracy of prototype device or overall errors in measurement was determined
from difference values of percentage of dry weight between prototype device and
standard determination method (% DM meter -% DM oven) for every durian fruit. (Fig.
7) Accuracy was confirmed at ± 1%.
In case of reproductivity, the prototype device had blueprint and all components
were selected from standard and commercial products such as electronic box and
electronic components. The prototype has certain printed circuit board (PCB) pattern
including operation manual. The maturity determination for each fruit was complete
within 3 minutes from size code selection, electrode pins insertion, analysis process and
dry weight value displayed. Long term test on prototype maturity meter of durian was
done in production area of chumporn and chanthaburi provinces, Thailand.

CONCLUSIONS
Durian maturity meter was examined on Monthong durians which was major
exporting varieties and consuming in domestic. The durian maturity meter was
established as nondestructive method with short period of determination for separation of
under-mature to ripe stages of durian fruit. Repeatability and sensitivity were approved.
Accuracy was available and reassured at ± 1% of error. Reproductivity was high and
could be commercially produced. Prediction of ripening date in room temperature was
possibility ensured by the durian maturity meter.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Authors would like to thank Saowanee Meemuta and Surapon Taneyanon
(Chumphon Horticultural Research Center) and Arun Chantarachoti (Agricultural
Engineering Research Center, Chantaburi) for coordinating fruit collection. This work
was funded by the Department of Agriculture.

REFERENCES
Chaisrichonlathan, P. Noomhorm, A. and Chavapradit, C. 2010. Study on electrical
properties as dry weight determination of durian. Proc. 5th International
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Thailand 7-9 December. P 1- 7
Everard, C.D., Fagan, C.C., O_Donnell, C.P., O_Callaghan, D.J. and Lyng, J.G. (2006).
Dielectric properties of process cheese from 0.3 to 3 GHz. J. Food Eng. 75: 415–
422
Giráldez, M. C., Fito, P. J., Chenoll, C. and Fito, P. 2010. Development of a dielectric
spectroscopy technique for the determination of apple (Granny Smith) maturity.
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National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards. 2013. Thai Agricultural
Standard TAS 3-2013 DURIAN. In: The Royal Gazette, 131, Special section 31
(Ngo) dated 13 February 2014
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Accessed 31 May 2015.
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Soltani, M., Alimardani, R. and Omid M. (2010). Prediction of banana quality during
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Fig. 1. Maturity Meter Diagram.

Fig. 2. Maturity Meter of Monthong Durian by Dry Weight.

Fig. 3. Utilization of Maturity Meter of Monthong Durian by Dry Weight.

Fig. 4. Comparison test on Maturity Meters and capacitance multi-meter DT-9205A.

Fig. 5. Relationship between % dry weight of various size codes of durians fruits and
capacitance values (nF) from DT9205A multi-meter
Fig. 6. Relationship between % dry weight of various size codes of durians fruits from
prototype meter and % dry weight from standard air oven determination method.

Fig. 7. Relationship between % different between dry weight from prototype meter and
standard determination method on % dry weight from standard air oven
determination method.