Mechanical damage in agricultural products: A basis for management

This paper proposes that mechanical damage in solid agricultural commodities needs to be managed and that such management should be based on a trade-off between the costs of damage and the costs of prevention. In turn, prevention strategies need to be based on the prediction of damage and this demands a clear understanding of the mechanics of failure of agricultural materials.Mechanical failure in selected horticultural materials is classified as shear (slip and bruising), or cleavage (cracking, splitting). It is shown that the intensity and nature of loading controls the mode and onset of failure. Once failure has begun, the amount of damage is a function of the amount of energy absorbed. The relationship between damage and energy absorbed for the most likely mode of failure provides a basis for the prediction of damage.A framework for the management of mechanical damage is developed and its application is proposed for fruit and vegetables, eggs, seed and grain.