Rapid advances in the electronic industry have generated high interest in automated grading technology tor fresh fruits and vegetables. During the last two decades, packaging and container handling have become significantly mechanized. However, sorting remains a labor intensive operation in many fresh produce industries. The amount of fruit removed can be quite significant. In Florida citrus packing, an average of 30% of the fruit is diverted to processing. Such high removal rates coupled with limited grading tables areas can diminish human grading performance and the production capacity of a packing plant. Furthermore, the cullage removal rates will probably increase with further mechanization of harvesting and field handling.
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