Simulation and prediction of post-harvest ripening processes for tomatoes with different ripeness levels based on...

Detecting postharvest tomato ripeness is essential for quality control. To reveal the evolution of complex conductivity σ^∗and complex permittivityε^∗ during tomato ripening, this study integrates bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) and finite element method (FEM) to predict postharvest tomato maturity. Based on the Maxwell-Wagner equation, σ^∗ and ε^∗ were derived from the measured impedance and conductance data. BIS measurements were conducted on whole tomatoes at four ripening periods and their components (pericarp, chamber, core, cavity). A finite element model was implemented in COMSOL to simulate electrical field distribution and quantify tissue-specific differences. Continuous monitoring of white ripening period tomatoes was used to validate the model, yielding an average accuracy of 85.16%, peaking at 92.86% in red ripening period and dipping to 80.30% in color change period, elucidate the dynamic changes in electrical properties during tomato ripening and provide a basis for nondestructive maturity assessment.