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ASPIR 2019-2022

Improved apricot quality by developing a non-destructive tool for measuring maturity in the orchard.

This project, financed by the Occitanie region from FEADER European funds (operation 16.2) for 4 years, is led by the Occitanie Fruit and Vegetable Federation, with partners SudExpé, Ctifl and Inra Paca (SQPOV and GAFL in Avignon).

The objectives of the ASPIR project are:

  • identify a decision support tool for harvest initiation and reduction of batch quality variability
  • limit non-quality at harvest
  • optimize quality for the consumer, limit losses and fight against food waste
  • constitute a first example of transfer of technology before declination on other species.

The scientific and technical issues are:

  •  the evaluation of 3 portable near-infrared spectroscopic equipments (SPIR) and hyperspectral imaging of the market
  • calibration and construction of databases for transfer of the tool to producers / producer organization
  • evaluation of the contribution of this tool on perceived quality at the level of the consumer (sensory and hedonic tests)
  • early involvement of producers in the transfer of tools and methods identified
  • build the foundation of a network for maintaining tool calibration databases.

Portable instruments tested during the project:

ASPIR_Felix_F750

F-750 Felix Instruments

ASPIR_Viavi_MicroNIR

MicroNIR VIAVI Solutions

ASPIR_CarbonBee_AQiT

AQiT Sensor carbonBee