College of Engineering and Technology

Department of Agricultural and

Biosystems Engineering
Visca, Baybay City, Leyte, PHILIPPINES
Telephone: (053) 525-0140 local 1015
Email: dabe@vsu.edu.ph
Website: www.vsu.edu.ph

ABEn 147. Properties of AB Materials

1st Semester, AY 2022-2023

Laboratory Exercise No. 5

The Effect of Drop Height on the Storage Quality of Banana

Name: Jeson Mark P. Lucero Date Submitted: June 3, 2023

Degree and Yr. BS ABE -3

I. INTRODUCTION

Food is essential for all living creatures. The society is today confronted with the great
challenge of providing good, sustainable nutrition for everybody. Agriculture is the
foundation of agricultural production. Sugarcane, coconuts, rice, maize, bananas,
pineapples, and mangoes are the principal agricultural products farmed in the Philippines.
Nonetheless, despite a wealth of food resources, the country is losing food sustainability
as a result of rapid population increase and rising food supply needs. Food scarcity is one
of the concerns that requires long-term solutions, and food sustainability is one of our
time's most essential goals.

Improper crop management leads to crop damage and early rotting. These tragic disasters
have lowered crop quality and harmed crop supplies on the market. Scientists and
engineers have devised a few methods for supplying the society with sustainable food.
There are already available methods for extending the shelf life of agricultural items, such
as freezing, drying, canning, and storing in either a cold or dark environment. Knowing
how to correctly manage agricultural commodities at all stages, including post-harvest,
processing, packing, distribution, marketing, and use, allows for the highest food quality to
be maintained. Ignorance of efficient crop management causes a massive economic loss.

II. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The major objective of this research is to ascertain how drop height affects banana
storage quality. It specifically aims to:

1. Determine the storage life of banana dropped from different heights

2. Compare the physical changes of the fruit in terms of color and weight

Research Hypothesis:

Ho: The drop height of banana has positive effect on its storage quality
Ha: The drop height of banana has negative effect on its storage quality

III. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

 ABEn 147. Laboratory Exercise No. 3

3.1. Information in Bananas

All types of bananas and plantains are classified as members of the genus Musa, and the
majority of current seedless varieties are variations of either the Musa acuminata or the
Musa balbisiana species. Although many people mistakenly believe that banana plants
are trees because of their size, in fact, they are herbaceous plants. Bananas are classified
as berries in botany. The pseudostems of bananas, which are made up of closely packed
leaves, serve as their genuine trunk and stem. The majority of varieties of bananas
average approximately 16 feet in height, however banana plants may grow as tall as 23
feet. Their height ranges from roughly 10 feet to that. They are perennial plants that
reappear each year and then pass on their genetic material to new generations. Its
colors might vary from yellow, green, brown, red, or purple depending on the variety
(Semco, 2015).

Bananas are among the most widely consumed fruits in the Philippines because of their
versatility and widespread availability. It is also one of the main crops that the nation
supplies. With a yearly export of almost 3.5 million tonnes of bananas, the Philippines has
been ranked among the top five banana producers and exporters in the world. There are
7,640 islands in the Philippines, and 200 of them are inhabited. On the island of Mindanao,
84% of bananas were produced in 2018 (and 99% of the Cavendish varieties), with the
Davao area, Northern Mindanao, and Soccskargen as the top three regions (Banana Link,
2021).

3.2. General Information About Cooling and Storing Bananas

The shelf life of bananas that mature on trees is only approximately 7 to 10 days. However,
it is typically believed that this has a shelf life that is too brief to be practical for mass
market exporting. Bananas are therefore selected green, carefully stored to prevent
ripening, and then artificially ripened once they get to their destination (Semco, 2015).

Temperature - For long-term storage and transportation, bananas are normally kept
between 56°F and 58°F. They are warmed to between 59- and 68-degrees Fahrenheit
when they are prepared for ripening. Due to their high susceptibility to cold damage, which
makes green fruit more sensitive than mature fruit, bananas should not be kept at
temperatures below 55°F.

Relative Humidity - The ideal relative humidity is between 90% and 95%.

Handling - Bananas need to be handled with extreme care. The fruit will be harmed if it is
dropped, scratched, or bruised. This might result in water loss and early fruit
decomposition.

Shelf Life - Bananas' shelf lives can vary greatly depending on the circumstances at the
time of harvest and throughout storage. Fruit harvested green, cooled, and properly stored
normally lasts approximately 3–4 weeks while fruit that has been allowed to mature on the
tree only lasts 7–10 days. Controlled climatic conditions can extend the shelf life of
bananas to up to 40 days, or over 6 weeks.

3.3. Mechanical Damage of Fruits or Vegetables

 ABEn 147. Laboratory Exercise No. 3

Occasionally, errors that result in unintended harm or damage happen while crops are
stored or transported. Numerous research on the impact of drop height on fruit quality
have been undertaken, and they have shown that drop height also affects the occurrence
of mechanical damage on some fruits. Fruits' ability to mature is physically impacted by
mechanical injury (Essies, B. A., Essein, J.B. & Bello, R. S., 2015). The occurrence of
mechanical damages is made possible by a number of factors, including compression of
loads during storage, impacts during fruit harvest and distribution, prolonged vibrations
during transportation, and abrasions between fruit and accompanying materials like
stones, stems, and insects (Yahaya, S. M. & Mardiyya, A. Y., 2019).

Injuries caused by mechanical forces include bruises, cuts, abrasions, and punctures (Al-
Dairi, M. & Pathare, P., 2021). The most frequent kind of mechanical injury, bruising, can
lead to weight loss. It is mostly brought on by severe impact and or compression forces
concentrated on a small region of the fruit surface when it is pressed against a rigid body.
Soft-textured fruits, like bananas, are more likely to bruise, especially when subjected to
strong compression pressures. The skin of a banana is a layer of protection, but it is also
delicate and tender, particularly when it is ripe. Bruises on crops are distinguished by
brownish to blackish markings, which are particularly noticeable on the epidermal layer
of fruits struck against hard surfaces. The shelf life of crops is shortened because bruised
fruits and vegetables are more vulnerable to insect attack, which increases the
percentages of water loss and gaseous exchange. These factors can affect physiological,
metabolic processes (transpiration, ethylene production, and relative electrical
conductivity), as well as other biological processes (Al-Dairi, M. & P. Pathare, 2022).

IV. METHODOLOGY

A. Preparation

In preparation for this laboratory, banana fruit is selected to be use in this experiment. This
experiment is conducted by a single factor in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with
Drop Height (H) as the factor. The drop heights (H) that were applied for this
experiment are as follows:

H Treatment
0 meter (Control) T1
1 meter T2
2 meters T3

For each treatment (drop height), three replications were used (3 pieces). In total 9
bananas were used. The table for data collection is as follows:

Treatment Raw Data of Weight

Day 0 Day 2 Day 4
T1 (H=0 ) R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3
T2 (H=1 )
T3 (H= 2)

B. Conduct of the experiment

 ABEn 147. Laboratory Exercise No. 3

The nine (9) bananas are divided among the three (4) different treatments with 3
replications for each treatment. The labels on the bananas read as follows:

Treatment 1: T1R1, T1R2, T1R3

Treatment 2: T2R1, T2R2, T2R3
Treatment 3: T3R1, T2R3, T3R3

Each fruit is dropped with a specific height drop and then stored collectively in a
temperature-controlled environment. Initial information was documented and kept track of,
including color and weight. These data are recorded using the given table once every two
days. When all samples have 50% or more damage, the experiment comes to an end.

C. Analysis of Data

Analysis the data based on the objectives as follows:

1. No. of days of storage before the sample is 50 percent damaged.
2. Changes in weight of the samples with time
3. Changes of color with time

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A. Number of Days of Storage

Table 1. Raw Data of Weight

Treatment Weight (g)
Day 0 Day 2 Day 4
R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3
T1 (H=0) 150 190 150 100 120 110 80 90 70
T2 (H=1) 150 140 130 100 110 110 60 70 70
T3 (H= 2) 120 120 140 100 100 100 50 60 50

Table 1 shows the weight in grams recorded from each sample throughout Day 0 to Day
4.

Treatment 1: Number of Storage Days Based on Weight

200

150

100

50

0
Day 0 Day 2 Day 4

T1R1 T1R2 T1R3

Fig.1 Treatment 1: Number of Storage Days Based on Weight

 ABEn 147. Laboratory Exercise No. 3

The figure above shows the number of storage days for treatment 1. It took 4 days to
store the samples in the room before all of them to reach approximately 50 – 70%
damaged in which 3 days of those are allotted for data gathering. Initial data gathering
was performed on January 23, 2023 at 11:00 am, next on January 25, 2023 and lastly on
January 27, 2023.

Treatment 2: Number of Storage Days Based on Weight

160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Day 0 Day 2 Day 4

T2R1 T2R2 T2R3

Fig.2 Treatment 2: Number of Storage Days Based on Weight

The figure above shows the number of storage days for treatment 2. After 4 days in
storage, treatment 2 was observed to have approximately reached 80 – 100% damaged
in which 3 days of those are allotted for data gathering. Initial data gathering was
performed on January 23, 2023 at 11:00 am, next on January 25, 2023 and lastly on
January 27, 2023. This means that on Day 3, treatment 2 might have already reached
50% damaged.

Treatment 3: Number of Storage Days Based on Weight

160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Day 0 Day 2 Day 4

T2R1 T2R2 T2R3

Fig.3 Treatment 3: Number of Storage Days Based on Weight

The figure above shows the number of storage days for treatment 3. After 4 days in
storage, treatment 3 was observed to have approximately reached 80 – 100% damaged
in which 3 days of those are allotted for data gathering. Initial data gathering was
performed on January 23, 2023 at 11:00 am, next on January 25, 2023 and lastly on
 ABEn 147. Laboratory Exercise No. 3

January 27, 2023. This means that on Day 3, treatment 3 might have already reached
50% damaged as same as the recorded observation for treatment 2.

B. Changes in Weight

Average Changes of Weight

200

150

100

50

0
Day 0 Day 2 Day 4

Treatment 1 Treatment 2 Treatment 3

Fig 4. Average Changes of Weight

The figure above shows the average changes of weight for each treatment starting from
day 0 to day 4. The data was collected by taking the mean average of weight for all
replicates in each treatment from day 0 to day 4. The figure shows that treatment 1 (Blue
line) displays the least drop of all treatment followed by treatment 2 (Red line). Treatment
3 displays the most drop of weight after 4 days of storage. These drastic changes of
treatment 3 compared to the other treatments is understood as to be the effect of the drop
height that was applied.

C. Changes in Color

Day 0 (January 23, 2023)

The samples were kept in a room-like environment. All three treatment samples started
as fresh-looking and brightly colored in yellow. The few noticeable dark spots were all
controllable.
 ABEn 147. Laboratory Exercise No. 3

Day 2 (January 25, 2023)

Dark bruised spots appeared on all samples. Although it is not as noticeable as with other
treatments, treatment 1 started to form brown spots on all replicates. For both treatments
2 and 3, there are more brown spots and bruises, especially to the area where there has
been contact following the drop height.

Day 4 (January 27, 2023)

Day 4 shows that treatment 1 has more brown spots and has sustained damage between
50% and 70%. With the exception of a few yellow spots, treatment 2 duplicates are nearly
completely covered in brown patches. Day 4 of Treatment 2 has roughly hit 80-100%
damage. One replicate of treatment 3 has been completely covered with brown patches,
while two of the replicates still have some yellow spots visible. Additionally, it can be
shown that treatment 3 has also caused serious damage that is between 80% and 100%.

D. Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendation

Summary

An experiment was conducted as part of this laboratory. The objectives of the

research were to examine the physical changes of the fruit in terms of weight and color,
as well as to ascertain the storage life of bananas dropped from various heights. It was
assumed that drop height would either have a positive or negative impact on the sample
 ABEn 147. Laboratory Exercise No. 3

quality. Null hypothesis (Ho): The drop height of banana has positive effect on its storage
quality; Alternative hypothesis (Ha): The drop height of banana has negative effect on its
storage quality. Nine bananas in all were prepared and distributed among three treatment
groups (Treatment 1, Treatment 2, Treatment 3). There are three replicates of each of
these treatments. Replicates in treatment 1 was assigned to be the control sample. While
samples in treatment 2 were dropped at a height of 1 meter above the ground, samples
in treatment 3 were dropped at a height of 2 meters. Every two days, changes in weight
and color were recorded and monitored until all samples had sustained around 50% to
100% damage. Data were arranged using graph presentations, and descriptive analysis
was done to explain the experiment's overall results.

Conclusion

The data indicates that the weight of the samples varies with time, as seen in the results.
After four days of storage, the samples had sustained 50% to 100% of their damage.
Additionally, drop height has an impact on the samples' rapid weight loss and color
changes. Fruit deterioration from bright yellow to black areas and weight loss reveal the
samples' decaying time. The likelihood that the fruit may rot quickly and shorten its shell
life increases with drop height. It was shown that the null hypothesis was correct. As a
result, the quality of the banana's storage is positively impacted by its drop height.

Recommendation

It has been established that fruit quality and shell life are impacted by drop height.
Surfaces that have been damaged by drop height become discolored. Therefore, it is
strongly advised to undertake careful crop handling in order to preserve the quality and
shell life of diverse agricultural crops.

VI. LIFELONG LEARNING

This lab experiment taught me more about the origins and effects of mechanical damage.
Drop height, for example, can have an impact on crop quality and shell life. I realized that
mechanical injury could be produced by either a mechanical or a human error. As a result,
treating any crops with caution is strongly urged. If given the opportunity to build
harvesting equipment or storage facilities, I will ensure the safety of all crops and, to the
greatest extent possible, will design the equipment and facilities to reduce the possibility
of inadvertent mechanical harm.

VII. REFERENCES

Al-Dairi, M. & Pathare, P. (2021). Bruise Susceptibility and Impact on Quality

Parameters of Pears During Storage. Department of Soils, Water and Agricultural

Engineering, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University,

Muscat, Oman.

A-Dairi, M. & Pathare, P. (2022). Effect of mechanical damage on the quality

characteristics of banana fruits during short term storage. Discover Food.

 ABEn 147. Laboratory Exercise No. 3

Banana Link. (2021, June 4). The Philippines. Retrieved January 15, 2023, from

https://www.bananalink.org.uk/partners/the-philippines/

Essies, B. A., Essein J. B. & Bello, R.S. (2015). Products quality preservation and agricultural

transformation in Nigeria. Science Journal of Business and Management, 3 (5-1):35-

40.

Semco, S. (2015, July 12). Effective Storing and Cooling of Bananas. SEMCO. Retrieved

January 15, 2023, from https://semcoice.com/effective-storing-cooling-bananas/

Yahaya S.M. & Mardiyya A.Y. (2019). Review of Post-Harvest Losses of fruits and vegetables.