Felix Instruments - Applied Food Science

?? Are Your F-750 Indices and Apps Up to Date? ?? We've rolled out fresh indices and updated apps for your F-750 device—so you can keep getting precise, reliable readings for your produce. Double-check you're running the latest builds to ensure accuracy! Quick rundown of the recent updates: ?? Avocado: F-750/F-751 Avocado App (build 01/10/2023) ?? Kiwi: Kiwi Apps 2411 ?? Mango: Mango (build 03/09/2023) ?? Table Grape (Black, Green, Red): New apps dated 2/15/2025 ?? Berry Family Update (Blackberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry, Pineapple): Felix builds dated 01/07/2025 Plus, existing Felix indices for Apple, Cherry, Mandarin, Pear, and Persimmon are available with builds from 03/09/2022—verify you've got these installed too! ?? Pro tip: Regularly updating ensures your device performance stays top-notch, helping you confidently manage fruit quality. Questions about the updates or need assistance? Let's discuss below! ??

?? Your Fruit Might Be Suffocating—Here’s Why We all know ethylene triggers ripening, but did you realize too much ethylene buildup can suffocate produce, accelerating decay? Controlling ethylene, along with balancing CO? and O? levels, is critical for maintaining fruit freshness, texture, and nutritional value during storage. Precise gas measurement—using tools like Felix's F-940—is essential for keeping produce from going bad prematurely.

??? Can AI improve grape quality? The latest research says yes! Our newest newsletter is packed with insights! What’s inside: 1?? Webinar Recap: The F-751 Grape Quality Meter – non-destructive testing for Brix, pH & acidity. 2?? Root Research Spotlight: 300,000+ root images captured—advancing crop phenotyping at scale. 3?? Spectrometer in Action: How scientists across 40+ countries use the CI-710s for plant health insights. 4?? Canopy Cover Breakthroughs: How urban trees cool cities by up to 30%—critical data for climate resilience. 5?? Harvest Index vs. Maturity Index: A deep dive into optimizing fruit quality & yield. ?? Read the full newsletter here: https://conta.cc/3XJm7yD

Are Your Avocados Ready to Harvest? Here’s How to Tell ???? Not all avocados are ready to be picked just because they look good. The right harvest maturity index ensures they ripen properly and taste great. But how do you measure it? ?? Physical Signs: Color, size, weight, and firmness—helpful, but not always reliable on their own. ?? Chemical Indicators: Dry matter content (DM) is now the gold standard for maturity. It’s more accurate than sugar levels, which don’t always tell the full story. ??? Timing Matters: Some growers use days after fruit set (DAFS), while others rely on changes in the seed coat or even the way the stem detaches. Across different regions, avocado maturity standards vary—what works in Australia might not be the same for Mexico or Rwanda. Want to make sure your avocados are at peak quality before picking? Learn more about the best methods for determining maturity in our latest article. ???? ??: https://ow.ly/XGUW50VapJj

When’s the right time to harvest grapes? ?? Too early = low sugar & flavor. Too late = rot & pests. The Grape Harvest Maturity Index uses TSS, acidity, color & NIR tech to pinpoint the perfect moment. Timing is everything in winemaking & table grapes! #GrapeHarvest

Did You Know Climate Change is Changing the Taste of Your Fruit? ?????? Fruit quality isn’t just about size or color anymore— recent research is showing how factors like climate change, postharvest tech, and even AI are reshaping the way we grow, store, and enjoy fresh produce. Some key takeaways from recent studies: ?? Citrus fruit flavor is shifting due to changing temperatures and rainfall—acidity and sweetness levels are being altered. ?? Magnetic fields & UV-C radiation are being explored as natural ways to keep fruit fresh without chemicals. ?? Organic apple quality isn’t just about the label—location and variety make a huge difference in taste and nutrition. ?? AI-driven quality control is making fruit testing more accessible for small farmers. ?? Strawberries stay fresher longer with a simple postharvest treatment using GABA. Food quality research is evolving fast, and the way we grow and consume fruit is changing with it. If you're into food science, agriculture or just want to know what’s happening in your fruit bowl, check out these findings: https://ow.ly/gm9S50V6iqm #FruitQuality #FoodScience #SustainableAgriculture #AIinAgriculture

Can grape quality be measured in under 10 seconds? ?? Our recent webinar explored how the F-751 Grape Quality Meter works for vineyard owners, quality managers, and distributors. With instant, non-destructive measurements of Brix, pH, and titratable acidity, this tool makes harvest decisions faster and more precise. Missed the session? No worries—you can still catch the key takeaways and see how this tech is reshaping grape quality assessment. ?? Check out the recap here: https://ow.ly/faSE50V6hx0 If you’ve used the F-751 or have questions about grape quality measurement, drop them in the comments!

Can machine learning predict fruit quality before harvest? ???? Turns out—it can. A study on ‘Braeburn’ apples found that a machine learning model using multivariate time series data could predict core browning and firmness before storage. This kind of insight could help optimize storage conditions and reduce post-harvest losses. That’s just one of the great studies we found in this month’s 'In The Field' research round-up, where we explore: ?? The best LED light spectrum for boosting lettuce growth ?? How high hydrostatic pressure enhances bioactive compounds in fruit ?? Carbonic anhydrase’s surprising role in tree adaptation ?? The impact of fertilizer and density on grapefruit root microbiomes Check out the full research breakdown here: https://ow.ly/JPWU50V6ghs And if you’ve used CID Bio-Science or Felix Instruments tools in your research, we’d love to feature your work next month! Leave a comment. #PlantScience #AgTech #FoodInnovation #Research #Horticulture #Sustainability

Canopy cover plays a bigger role in climate resilience than we thought! ?? A 2024 study highlights how tree quality—leaf area index (LAI), transpiration rates, and drought response strategies—is just as critical as canopy size in mitigating urban heat. ??? ?? Key takeaways: ? Cities worldwide are aiming for 30% canopy cover to combat rising temperatures. ? Not all trees cool equally—species with high LAI and strategic water use provide stronger benefits. ? Research suggests a global need to optimize urban tree selection for maximum cooling efficiency. With urban heatwaves on the rise, should cities prioritize tree quantity or quality? Read more about this in our latest article: #UrbanForestry #ClimateResilience #SustainableCities #EnvironmentalResearch

The global fresh produce industry converged in Berlin this February for FRUIT LOGISTICA 2025. Among the technology showcased was the Near-Infrared #NIR data platform on?FruitMaps.com with Felix Instruments - Applied Food Science. Their range of Quality Meter have transformed the way fruit maturity is assessed, offering insights into Brix and dry matter levels for a wide range of fruit and veg. A trade fair highlight was the launch of the??? Grape Quality Meter?expanding the Felix Instruments range. This cutting-edge device provides?instant, non-destructive insights into grape quality, enabling vineyard owners and distributors to optimize their harvest strategies with confidence. Key benefits of the Quality Meter include: ? Quick and accurate?measurements of sugar levels, ripeness, and overall fruit health. ?Improved decision-making for?harvesting, storage, and distribution. Live demonstrations at the conference showed firsthand how this tool enhances?efficiency and profitability?for the viticulture industry. Congratulations to?Felix Instruments?on this groundbreaking innovation, which is set to?redefine precision agriculture?in the grape industry! The??? Mango Quality Meter?is?available now?and offers the same high-precision, non-destructive fruit maturity analysis.?By integrating data from a range of NIR devices,?FruitMaps provides a centralised tool that helps growers and supply chains monitor fruit maturity trends across different regions and crops. The longstanding synergy between?FruitMaps.com and Felix Instruments?highlights smarter, data-driven agriculture. As NIR technology continues to meet the market, its integration into digital platforms empowers growers and distributors to maximize efficiency, reduce waste, and deliver consistently high-quality produce to markets worldwide.