TOMATOES FRESHNESS LEVEL INDICATOR

ALCAIDE, JONEL C.
ALVAREZ, JOHN MAR P.
DURIA, IAN JANRY C.

SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
2023
 Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

A tomato is a fruit that grows on a vine or a plant with short or long stems. It belongs to

the nightshade family and has many nutrients, such as vitamin C, potassium, folate, vitamin K,

and lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that may prevent cancer and heart disease. Tomato is

eaten and prepared like a vegetable, raw or cooked, in salads, dishes, or pickles. The fruits are

commonly eaten raw in salads, served as a cooked vegetable, used as an ingredient in various

prepared dishes, and pickled. Additionally, a large percentage of the world’s tomato crop is used

for processing; products include canned tomatoes, tomato juice, ketchup, puree, paste, and “sun-

dried” tomatoes or dehydrated pulp. According to Department of Agriculture – Bureau of

Agricultural Research, 2022, they are usually red, scarlet, or yellow, though green and purple

varieties do exist, and they vary in shape from almost spherical to oval and elongate to pear-shaped.

Each fruit contains at least two cells of small seeds surrounded by jelly-like pulp.

The plant requires relatively warm weather and much sunlight; it is grown chiefly in

hothouses in cooler climates. Tomatoes are usually staked, tied, or caged to keep the stems and

fruits off the ground, and consistent watering is necessary to avoid blossom-end rot and cracking

of the fruits. The plants are susceptible to a number of pests and diseases, including bacterial wilt,

early blight, mosaic virus, Fusarium wilt, nematodes, and tomato hornworms. Many of these

problems can be controlled with crop rotation, the use of fungicides and pesticides, and the

planting of resistant varieties (Online, 2023)

According to (Vonny Indah Sari et al 2023) Tomato is one of the most popular tropical

fruits because it tastes fresh and can be consumed directly or processed as a seasoning, garnish,

and industrial raw material. Tomato cultivation is increasing with the increasing demand for
tomatoes in the market. Most of the vegetables produced in the Philippines are consumed fresh

and/or undergo primary food processing such as pickling, fermentation, and other preservation

techniques. Among the priority crops in this roadmap according to the Department of Agriculture

- Bureau of Agricultural Research, tomato is being processed commercially as sauce, paste, juice,

and puree. Most of the tomatoes used for processing are produced in the ilocos Region.

This study focused on the construction of prototypes and machine learning. This study

focused on indicating the freshness level of tomatoes in terms of their physical appearance such as

shell life and color. Internal freshness level is the study's limitation. This is because of limited

sensors in order to indicate its freshness level.

Background of the Study

Ripe tomatoes will spoil quickly, which is about 3-4 days of storage at room temperature,

so the shelf life of fresh tomatoes is relatively short without proper handling. Visual uniformity

and degree of ripeness of tomatoes are quality determinants for classifying the level of quality of

tomatoes. It is necessary to develop an analytical tool that can be used to detect the degree of

freshness of tomatoes practically and quickly so that the quality of the freshness of tomatoes can

be maintained (Vonny Indah Sari et al 2023).

A subset of artificial intelligence referred to as machine learning allows systems to improve

their performance by learning from data. By training machine learning algorithms to identify

patterns in data, predictions can be made based on that information. Machine learning has been

successfully applied in various fields, including image and speech recognition, natural language

processing, and medical diagnosis (LeCun et al., 2015).

 The researchers found out that the different types of tomatoes will spoil quickly. That is why

they want to apply a cooling system to the tomatoes, so they can extend their shelf life. And by the

used of machine learning algorithms, the researchers can easily designate the fresh tomatoes to not

and identify their level of freshness.

The main purpose of this research is to create a more accurate, automated, and efficient system

for assessing the freshness of tomatoes. Traditional methods may have limitations in terms of

precision and speed, but with the help of machine learning it can make a significant impact.

Objectives of the Study

The primary goal of this study is to know the level of freshness in tomatoes using an

indicator and develop an accurate machine learning model for tomato freshness level assessment

using hybrid neural networks.

The specific objectives are:

1. To know how safe, reliable, and consistent these machines are in providing accurate freshness

information.

2. Incorporate a machine learning assessment of quality parameters on tomatoes with an indicator

to determine their freshness level.

3. To design a machine that will analyze the shelf-life extension of tomatoes in a cooling storage

system.
Significance of the Study

The researchers sought to bring significance to all individuals who want to have great

benefit from understanding and using tomato freshness level indicators, especially for the

following:

For the students, of Southern Luzon State University (Main Campus) Lucban, Quezon to

gain more knowledge about the uses of this Prototype and the machine learning algorithms and

neural networks.

For the Consumer/s, they can easily assess the freshness of tomatoes before purchasing,

ensuring they select the best produce. With an accurate freshness indicator, consumers can better

manage the shelf life of tomatoes at home, reducing food waste.

For Businesses, they may experience cost savings for reducing food waste and they can

ensure buyer that their product is fresh. they may experience cost savings.

For Farmers and Distributors, they can command better prices for their produce if they

can assure customers of its freshness with a clear freshness indicator, and also can better manage

the logistics of transporting and distributing tomatoes, minimizing losses due to spoilage.

For the researchers, they can assess their own skills and strengths, which they may then

apply to the material being studied. The researchers can also advance their knowledge and abilities,

which will be beneficial to them in the future.

The future researchers so may find this research useful in their exploration of neural

networks and machine learning algorithms. They can use this as their reference material for their

studies of having the same subject nature.

Scope and Limitation

The study is limited to the freshness level of a tomato under machine learning. The main

focus of this study is to indicate the freshness level of tomatoes in terms of their physical

appearance such as shell life and color. Internal freshness level is the study's limitation. This is

because of limited sensors to indicate its freshness level. Additionally, because it is challenging to

view the internal part of a tomato.

Definition of Terms

For clarity and to guide of the study to enlighten the readers, the following terms has been

conceptually operationally.

Color is a representation of the distribution of colors in an image of a tomato, used as a feature to

assess freshness.

Freshness Indicator is a component or system designed to assess and communicate the degree of

freshness in tomatoes, typically utilizing features and characteristics to provide a quantifiable

measure.

Freshness Level is a qualitative assessment indicating the degree to which tomato is considered

fresh, often categorized as "fresh," "moderately fresh," or "stale" based on certain features and

characteristics.

Machine Learning is a field of artificial intelligence that focuses on the development of

algorithms and statistical models that are trained on labeled data to classify tomatoes into different

freshness levels based on their features.

Shelf Life is the duration for which a tomato remains fresh and suitable for consumption under

proper storage conditions.

TEC 12706 a Peltier device that transfers heat away from a specific area, resulting in cooling. In

the freshness indicator, this technology may be applied to regulate the temperature for certain

freshness assessments.

Tomato is a fruit used in the freshness level indicator.