Detection of cracked shell in intact aromatic young coconut using near infrared spectroscopy and acoustic response methods

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the application of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and acoustic response to detect cracking in aromatic young Thai coconuts. A sample of 202 aromatic young coconut fruits (106 normal and 96 cracked fruits) was harvested from Samutsakorn and Ratchaburi provinces in Thailand. The samples were scanned in reflectance mode using Fourier-transformed NIRS in the range 11,100–3996\xa0cm−1 (900–2500\xa0nm) and also measured for an acoustic response. Classification models were developed using partial least squares discrimination analysis. The accuracy of discrimination between normal coconuts and cracked coconuts with the acoustic response model was 85.07%. The best accuracy of discrimination was 94.03% based on absorbance spectra. NIRS offered a non-destructive means to detect the cracked shell of coconut fruit still attached to the bunch.