Electronic color sorting of cantaloupes for ripeness

Electronic sorting of cantaloupes into maturity grades in commercial packing sheds appears possible by use of reflected light measured from fruit of different maturities (colors). In recent studies at the University of California, Davis both dry and wet melons were tested. Measurments were made on 10 melons in each of four maturity grades—Partly Slipped, Hard Ripe, Eastern Choice, and Western Choice. Measurments were made with a Beck-man Ratio Recording Spectrophotometer with a reflectance unit attached.