Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices for simple and nondestructive durian fruit maturity assessment

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biosensing Technology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Accurate durian maturity prediction is a significant global challenge, with current methods relying on subjective farmer observation.
• Inconsistent harvesting due to subjective judgment leads to reduced fruit quality, yield, and market value.
• Existing technological solutions are often complex, expensive, and require specialized expertise, limiting farmer adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an affordable, easy-to-use, and non-destructive sensor for accurate durian maturity evaluation.
• To create a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) for on-site, simultaneous detection of total sugar and amino acid in durian peduncle fluid.

Main Methods:

• A microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) was designed to automatically collect peduncle fluid non-destructively.
• Dual detection of total sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose) using enzymatic hydrolysis and gold nanoparticle generation.
• Simultaneous measurement of amino acids using the ninhydrin test with SnCl2, and kinetic analysis of invertase activity.

Main Results:

• The μPAD successfully performed dual detection of total sugar and amino acid with low limits of detection (LODs) for each analyte.
• Kinetics study of invertase on the μPAD yielded Vmax and Km values consistent with direct sucrose conversion studies.
• The developed μPADs accurately discriminated between mature and immature durians, showing high correlation with the standard dry weight method.

Conclusions:

• The developed μPAD technology offers a reliable, non-destructive, and affordable method for durian maturity assessment.
• This innovation has the potential to significantly reduce post-harvest losses and improve the sustainability of durian cultivation.
• The μPAD platform can be adapted for maturity testing of other fruit varieties.