APPLE BRUISING 



The amount of bruises caused by dropping apples from varying heights and 

 during the various harvesting and handling procedures was studied by H. P. 

 Gaston and J. H. Levin of Michigan State University. Some of their findings 

 are given below and show the importance of taking time to show pickers how to 

 pick properly and avoid bruising. 



Bruises Caused by Vertical Drops 



A three inch Mcintosh dropped one inch onto a flat hard surface caused a 

 half inch bruise. 



A three inch apple dropped three inches onto a sharp corner resulted in 

 a skin break. 



When an apple was dropped onto another apple or apples, several bruises 

 usually resulted. Gaston and Levin found that when a 2% inch Mcintosh was dropped 

 from a height of 12 inches onto another apple resting still on another apple that 

 was resting on a flat board, the result was five separate bruises, each one of 

 which averaged more than 5/8 of an inch in diameter. 



Bruising During the Harvesting and Grading Operations 



The following table presents data obtained by Gaston and Levin in their 

 study of the amount of meclianlcal injury that resulted from the careless and the 

 careful performance of various handling operations during Mcintosh harvest, 



T/.BLE I - Mechanical injury per 100 Mcintosh apples, 2% inches and up, resulting 

 from the carel e ss and the careful performance of various handling operations. 



No. of bruises %" in dia. 



Careless picking 43 



Careful picking 1 



Careless dumping into field crates 88 



Careful dumping into field crates 



Careless dumping onto receiving belt 86 



Careful dumping onto receiving belt 19 



Table I shows that 43 bruises of ^" in diameter were found per 100 Mcintosh 

 apples when the apples were carelessly picked. To simulate the careless picking 

 operation the apples were dropped into a standard metal picking bucket with a 

 canvas bottom. The fruit were dropped into the bucket from about the level of 

 its' top edge or a little below. The first few fruits had approximately a 14 

 inch drop and the next 12 or 15 between 8 and 12 inch fall striking the apples 

 lying on the canvas bottom. This was a drastic treatment, however, the practice 

 is not uncommon in orchards. Only by adequate supervision and instruction can 

 the tendency of pickers to drop at least some of the apples into their picking 

 containers be kept at a minimum. 



Careless dumping into field crates resulted in extensive bruising (Table I). 

 In performing the careless dumping into field crates, the canvas bottom of the 

 picking bucket was released while it was held at about the level of the top edge 

 of the field box into which it was beinc emptied. The incidence of bruising in 



