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The development of sensors to measure fruit internal quality variables is one of the challenges of post-harvest technology. Visible-near infrared spectroscopy (Vis/NIRS) has been a promise technique for nondestructive fruit quality assessment. This study was focused to evaluate the use of Vis/NIRS in measuring the quality parameters of intact mandarin orange fruit (Citrus clementina). The parameters studied were: firmness, color (CIEL*a*b*), peel thickness, soluble solids content (SSC), pH and total acidity (TA). A total of 120 mandarin fruit with different maturation were sampled. Reflectance NIR spectra were collected in four points of each fruit and the fruits were posteriorly analyzed for the physico-chemical parameters. Prediction models were selected based on the highest r2, lowest standard error of calibration (RMSEC) and lower number of factors used in the calculation. For color parameters (L*, a*, and b*) model had a mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) of 0.877, 1.780 and 1.589 and coefficient determination (r2) of 0.923, 0.963 and 0.852, respectively. The proposed model for the SSC had a RMSEC of 0.314 and r2 of 0.749. The results indicate that Vis/NIRS technique could provide an accurate, reliable and nondestructive method for assessing the internal quality indices.

The cherry fruit is considered a nutrient dense food with a relatively low caloric content and a significant amount of important nutrients and bioactive food components. Nowadays there are some investigations regarding on nutritional and antioxidant properties of cherries. The objective of this study was to determine the stages of maturation of Sweetheart cherry from Cova da Beira (Portugal). Physicochemical parameters: firmness, color (L*, a* and b*), soluble solids content (SSC), pH, titratable acidity (TA), total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method) and antioxidant activity (DPPH method) of ‘Sweetheart’ cherry were evaluated. Three maturation stages were identified and results demonstrated that solid soluble content, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity increase with ripening stages. For soluble solids content and total phenolic content cherries showed the following average values: 19.9, 20.5 and 22.0 º Brix and 591, 788 and 810 mg galic acid kg-1, respectively. We can consider that this cultivar has an interest in nutritional terms, which may contribute to the enhancement of 'Sweetheart' cherry from the Cova da Beira region. Additionally, these data provide complementary information which can be used to ensure the quality of this regional product, ‘Cereja da Cova da Beira’.