Non-destructive method to predict Barhi dates quality at different stages of maturity utilising near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy

Barhi dates cultivar (Phoenix dactylifera L.) at Khalal stage of maturity was characterised by its sweetness, crunchiness, and bright yellow colour. Non-destructive and quick tools are necessary to evaluate fruit quality during post-harvest operations. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is an effective method to detect quality parameters for several fruits. In this study, NIR was utilised to correlate quality parameters (total soluble solids, moisture content, and b* colour) at five stages of maturity (from Khalal (green, to yellow), and Rutab (brown) with spectrum analysis. Barhi quality parameters were found to correlate well using NIR with a high coefficient of determination (R2) 0.97 for TSS; 0.94 for MC; and fair of 0.64 for b* colour. It can be concluded that NIR is an effective non-destructive tool to predict fruit quality of Barhi at different stages of maturity during various %post-harvest operations.