MOHR Introduces New Texture Analyzer for Fruits and Vegetables

RICHLAND, Wash. - MOHR Test and Measurement have announced the availability of their new MDT-2 Computerized Penetrometer and Texture Analyzer, a portable and battery-powered device that uses the industry's most sophisticated texture analysis technology, the company said.

The MDT-2 is designed to measure the quality of a variety of fresh produce, and is the product of more than 15 years of research in sensitivity and accuracy, MOHR Test and Measurement said. 

The MDT-2 can help growers, packers and retailers track and manage quality with more confidence, reducing or eliminating the need for current test methods, MOHR said. MOHR's Crispness (Cn) measurement has been shown to correlate closely with apple crispness and overall eating quality as rated by expert tasters with the Washington State University Apple Breeding Program, and WSU researchers plan to use Crispness measurements to reduce the need for labor-intensive taste-testing as they develop new apple variety, MOHR said.

Other MDT-2 measurements such as Creep (C0), which measures viscous deformation of the fruit or vegetable interior, hold similar promise for evaluating taste and storability parameters that previously required human participation, MOHR said.

"The MDT-2 gives the fresh produce industry an accurate, automated, traceable record of eating quality," said Charles Mohr, MOHR principal engineer and co-inventor of the MDT-2's texture testing technology. "This is an excellent tool for tracking and documenting the effect of new quality measures."

Learn more about the product at MOHR's website.