Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Space Industry and Business News .




FARM NEWS
A digital portrait for grapes indicates their ripeness
by Staff Writers
Seville, Spain (SPX) Dec 05, 2012


This shows scientists inserting the fruit or seeds into a light controlled cabin. Credit: Grupo Color y Calidad de los Alimentos/ US.

Researchers at the University of Seville (Spain) have developed a technique for estimating grape composition and variety using computer imaging. They have also put forward an index for identifying the ripeness of seeds without the need for chemical analysis. This new method can help to decide the best moment for picking.

The normal procedure for identifying the sugar content of grapes involves chemical analysis. But this is a long and tedious task that tells vine-growers when to start picking their grapes. Now though, scientists at the University of Seville (US) are proposing an alternative technique: photographing grapes and analysing the images.

The method consists of inserting the fruit or seeds into a light controlled cabin. Computer imaging then identifies exact colour in accordance with International Commission on Illumination standards along with morphological characteristics such as length, width and sphericity.

Lastly, using software developed by the researchers themselves, the variety of samples can be recognised by comparison with a pre-established database of images.

Published in the 'Computers and Electronics in Agriculture' journal, the study has been successfully validated in vineyards with the Denomination of Origin Condado de Huelva. The machine is capable of differentiating whether the grape is of the Tempranillo, Syrah or the native Zalema variety.

"The advantage of this technique is that it offers automated and speedy quality control and inspection as well as objective monitoring of the ripening process," as explained to SINC by Francisco J. Heredia, one of the authors and coordinator of the Food Colour and Quality Group of the US.

The researcher also highlights that they conceived a "browning index" for seeds - a parameter that estimates ripening stage regardless of variety and harvest year "solely using data provided by the images."

Revelation of phenolic content with images
In addition, thanks to statistical tools, the team has been able to confirm that there is indeed a direct relationship between the aspect and colour of seeds and their phenolic content, with phenols being compounds that determine the ripeness of the grape.

This is also the case according to another study published in the 'Analytica Chimica Acta' journal, which obtained its results from La Rioja grapes collected on six separate occasions.

"The compounds analysed in the seeds are not the main causers of red wine colour, but their polymerisation and oxidation during the ripening phase cause browning in the seeds. This was determined using tristimulus colorimetry through digital imaging and is linked with composition," adds another of the authors, Francisco J. Rodriguez-Pulido.

Understanding this relationship "proves useful as a quick and objective estimation method when deciding upon the best time for picking and, therefore, the quality of the wine, without the need for chemical and sensory analyses."

Wine experts tend to use so-called 'technological ripening', based on sugar from juice, as a way of determining when to pick grapes. However, the authors have emphasised that the ripeness of seeds must not be forgotten as this also influences wine quality.

"In warm climates, like that enjoyed in the south of Spain, technological ripening occurs quickly and does not provide enough time for seeds protected inside the grape to develop at the same speed," explains Rodriguez-Pulido, who recognises the need for continued research so that in the future "grapes characteristics shown in their digital 'portrait' can be used to predict the type of wine that they will yield."

Francisco J. Rodriguez-Pulido, Luis Gomez-Robledo, Manuel Melgosa, Belen Gordillo, M. Lourdes Gonzalez-Miret, Francisco J. Heredia. "Ripeness estimation of grape berries and seeds by image analysis". Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 82: 128, 2012; Francisco J. Rodriguez-Pulido, Raul Ferrer-Gallego, M. Lourdes Gonzalez-Miret, Julian Carlos Rivas-Gonzalo, Maria Teresa Escribano-Bailon, Francisco J. Heredia. "Preliminary study to determine the phenolic maturity stage of grape seeds by computer vision". Analytica Chimica Acta 732: 78, 2012.

.


Related Links
FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology
Farming Today - Suppliers and Technology






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








FARM NEWS
Insects beware: The sea anemone is coming
Bethesda MD (SPX) Dec 05, 2012
As insects evolve to become resistant to insecticides, the need to develop new ways to control pests grows. A team of scientists from Leuven, Belgium have discovered that the sea anemone's venom harbors several toxins that promise to become a new generation of insecticides that are environmentally friendly and avoid resistance by the insects. Since these toxins disable ion channels that me ... read more


FARM NEWS
Countdown begins to the next generation of satellites

Android gains on Apple in surging tablet sector: survey

Organic metamaterial flows like a liquid, remembers its shape

A better way to make chemicals?

FARM NEWS
US Air Force selects Raytheon to develop future Protected SATCOM System

General Dynamics Awarded Contract Under New U.S. Army Rapid-Acquisition Communications Program

Astrium to provide military X-band satcoms to six UK Royal Navy vessels

Lockheed Martin to Demonstrate Key Component of Tactical MilSat Communications System

FARM NEWS
S. Korea readies new bid to join global space club

Arianespace Lofts Pleiades 1B Using Soyuz Medium-lift launcher

Japan Schedules Radar Satellite Launch

Arianespace ready for next Soyuz and Ariane missions

FARM NEWS
Retired GIOVE-A satellite helps SSTL demonstrate first High Altitude GPS navigation fix

GTX Gets Approval For Custom Two-Way GPS Tracking Devices On Planes

East Riding Of Yorkshire Council Selects Ctrack For Specialist Vehicle Tracking Solution

Researchers Use GPS Tracking to Monitor Crab Behavior

FARM NEWS
China Southern to buy 10 A330-300 aircraft

Four injured in China fighter jet crash: reports

Sandy adds to global air traffic gloom: IATA

India to buy nearly 130 Su-30 fighter jets from Russia

FARM NEWS
Ames Laboratory scientists develop indium-free organic light-emitting diodes

Research discovery could revolutionise semiconductor manufacture

Engineers pave the way towards 3D printing of personal electronics

Antenna-on-a-chip rips the light fantastic

FARM NEWS
NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Turns 15

Tracking Pollution from Outer Space

NASA's TRMM Satellite Confirms 2010 Landslides

GOES-R Satellite Program Undergoes Successful Review

FARM NEWS
Asia air pollution deaths to rise: environment group

Kerosene lamps spew black carbon, should be replaced

Answer to Mongolia pollution is blowing in the wind

Poland set to become last EU state to ratify landmine pact




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement