Durian maturity meter by dry weight

P. Chaisrichonlathan a and C. Chavapradit

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

Abstract
Dry weight or dry matter is used as an objective maturity index of durian (Durio
zibethinus Murr.) for quality improvement, trade facilitation and consumer protection
by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards and recently
resulted in an international standard at the 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 decreases 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 the
relationship between capacitance and dry weight of durian was established using a
nondestructive method with a short period of determination. A total of 2400 fruits for
three standard size codes ranging from 2 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 sizes. Capacitance value of durian samples was determined by
using a handheld measuring probe with two electrode pins. The electrode pins were
designed to insert into the peduncle of the sample at the point approximately 1 cm
above the fruit. Capacitance value was determined by using a microcontroller, which
was also used to display percentage dry weight on an LCD. The maturity
determination for each fruit was complete within 3 min. Sensitivity of the durian
maturity meter was 25% at the under-mature stage to 40% dry matter values at ripe
stages. Repeatability and accuracy was reassured at ±1% of error.

Keywords: durian, dry weight, capacitance, maturity meter, microcontroller

INTRODUCTION
Durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) is an important export tropical fruit of Thailand.
Planted and production area in 2014 of durians in Thailand were 104,308 and 91,268 ha,
respectively. Total durians production in the year 2014 was 631,631 MT. Exporting amount
and value were 387,553 MT and 13,842 million Bahts in 2014, respectively (Office of
Agricultural Economics, 2015). The major export markets of Thai durians are China, Hong
Kong, Indonesia and Taiwan. The trend for durian export is increasing according to free
trade agreements. Non-tariff measures are different in each durian-importing country; the
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 colour, 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 colour and are springy when squeezed, lengthwise track on the husk of locule is more
conspicuous with the exception of cultivar ‘Garnyao’. ‘Monthong’ is the most famous

a
E-mail: jasmine.1100@hotmail.com

Acta Hortic. 1186. ISHS 2017. DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1186.25 165

Proc. Int. Symp. on Durian and Other Humid Tropical Fruits
Eds.: S. Somsri et al.
exported durian cultivar from Thailand. Standard internal minimum characteristics of
mature green durian of ‘Monthong’ cultivar are light-yellow pulp, brownish-cream seed skin
and minimum dry weight (%) of 32. This percentage dry weight is equity with provisions
concerning trading of durian fruit of 75% mature or about 6-9 d to become ripe after harvest
in natural conditions.
Siriphanich and Sangwanangkul (2000) suggested that dry weight and total sugar
content in pulp at 70, 80 and 90% commercial maturity were equivalent to 106, 113 and
120 d after anthesis. The minimum maturity stage of durian should not be less than 106 d
after anthesis and the pulp contain at least 32% dry weight. Dielectric spectroscopy, which
can be considered an emerging technology, has the advantage of being an objective and 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 (Castro-Giráldez 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 5-day period. Nelson (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 the relationship between electrical properties
such as resistance and capacitance and dry weight of durian were established as a
nondestructive method with short period of maturity determination. Capacitance and
resistance values were obtained using Excel DT-9205A and Yokogawa 7555 digital multi-
meters, 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. A durian maturity
meter with a rapid and precise nondestructive method would be valuable for increasing
consumer confidence in local and export markets.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 2400 ‘Monthong’ durians from eastern and southern parts of Thailand were
selected at 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 to 3 kg, respectively (National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards,
2013). Durians were acquired 24 h after harvest. Measurements were taken within 24 h
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 prototyping process
included study, design, assembly, test and development. Electrode pins, two steel needles,
15 mm long and 5 mm apart, were designed to fix at the top of a cylindrical Teflon holder,
25 mm in diameter and 150 mm long. 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 a microcontroller (Figure
1). Selector switch was applied for three standard size codes of durians. Capacitance value of
durian samples were determined and converted to percentage of dry weight by means of
microcontroller. PIC16F887 microcontroller displayed dry weight in percentage on an LCD

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when the reading switch was pushed. Overall operating time of prototype meter was 8 h
with a 6 V, 1.3 amp-h sealed lead acid battery. The On-Off switch was designed to start
maturity determination (Figure 2). Capacitance value of durian samples were determined
through handheld measuring probe with two electrode pins that insert to the peduncle of
the sample at the point approximately 1 cm above the fruit (Figure 3). Standard capacitance
value of each durian sample for comparison test was measured by digital multi-meter DT-
9205A.

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the maturity meter.

Figure 2. Maturity meter and battery pack.

Figure 3. Utilization of maturity meter of ‘Monthong’ durian by dry weight.

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Dry weight determination by standard method
After indirect dry weight determination, samples were cross-sectioned 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 1×1×5
mm and mixed thoroughly; 20 g each of three samples per fruit were utilized for average dry
weight determination at 70°C in air oven within 48 h (TAS 3-2013). Percentage of dry weight
in wet basis for each sample was calculated by the following equation:

Durian dried weight (%) = (Weight after drying/weight before drying) × 100

Relationship analysis and different value between prototype device and standard
determination method were achieved. Durian maturity meter was tested for sensitivity,
accuracy and reproducibility of results.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

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. Slope of exponential curves decreased with the decreasing of size
code or increasing weight of durian. Capacitance values increased with increasing % dry
weight (Figure 4). Dry weight values of durian samples ranged from 25 to 40%, which is
acceptable as sensitivity for under-mature to ripe stages of durian fruit.

Figure 4. Relationship between % dry weight of various size codes of durians fruits and
capacitance values (nF) from DT-9205A multi-meter.

Relationship between prototype device and standard determination method were

linear regressions and shown in Figure 5. 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.

Figure 5. Relationship between % dry weight of various size codes of durians fruits from
prototype meter and % dry weight from standard air oven determination method.

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 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 (Figure 6). Accuracy
was confirmed at ±1%.

Figure 6. Relationship between % difference between dry weight from prototype meter and
standard determination method on % dry weight from standard air oven
determination method.

Regarding reproducibility, the prototype device was blueprinted 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 min
from size code selection, electrode-pin insertion, analysis process and dry weight value
display. Long-term tests on the prototype maturity meter for durian was done in production
areas of Chumporn and Chanthaburi provinces, Thailand.

CONCLUSIONS
The durian maturity meter was examined on ‘Monthong’ durians, which is the major
export cultivar and is consumed domestically. The durian maturity meter was established as
a nondestructive method with short period of determination for separation of under-mature
to ripe stages of durian fruit. Repeatability and sensitivity were confirmed, and accuracy was
determined with ±1% error. Reproducibility was high and the device could be commercially
produced. Prediction of ripening date in room temperature was possibility ensured by the
durian maturity meter.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The 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 Thai Department of Agriculture.

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