What is Fruit Firmness?

Fruit firmness is the worldwide measurement of fruit ripeness and maturity. Whether you’re looking at apples or avocadoes, fruit texture is referenced as an indication of quality. This process is key to ensuring customers receive produce with the expected textural properties such as crunchy apples, juicy tomatoes, or soft avocadoes.

To accommodate desirable juiciness, crispiness, toughness, hardness, or fibrousness, fruit and vegetable texture must be evaluated. For quick, easy, and accurate firmness testing, we offer a variety of products to fulfill your testing needs.

How to Measure Fruit Firmness?

Choose between handheld penetrometers and benchtop penetrometers – we have both!

Benchtop Penetrometers

Benchtop penetrometers improve accuracy and decrease variability between multiple operators. The digital aspect of these penetrometers allow results to be saved in an ASCII format or directly accessed from Excel, Word, or Access. Probe speed, calibration, threshold load, and depth can all be controlled from your PC to ensure reliable readings.

Our most popular benchtop penetrometer, the newly redesigned Fruit Texture Analyzer (FTA), measures fruit firmness with just the touch of a button! The FTA stores results directly on your PC for added convenience, as well. Ranking first in the Washington State comparison study of firmness testing equipment, this product gives quick, easy, and reliable results for apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, kiwi, avocados, and more!

Handheld Penetrometers

Handheld firmness testers vary by fruit selection with readings specific to the type of fruit you are analyzing. These testers automatically freeze the peak firmness reading with clearly defined and easy to read scales. A stainless steel plunger tip, splash plate, fruit peeler, manual, and carrying case are all included with handheld penetrometers, as well.

For those looking to perform more accurate testing with a handheld penetrometer, we offer manual test stands. Simply screw the penetrometer into the mounting plate and easily attach it to the elevating mechanism. For your convenience, we offer a chart for recommended firmness levels of different fruits.

Selecting Your Penetrometer

Choosing a penetrometer that best suits the fruit or vegetables you are testing is critical in determining produce quality. We recommend browsing through the various penetrometers we offer here. Should you need certified firmness readings, our calibration services are available for all firmness testers.