Portable Vis–NIR Spectroscopy Using AS7265X for Detecting Carbide-Ripened Cavendish Bananas
Abstract
Cavendish banana (Musa acuminata Cavendish) is one of the horticultural crops whose ripening is often accelerated using calcium carbide (CaC₂), which is harmful to health, thus requiring a scientific method to distinguish natural and artificial ripening. This study aimed to examine the potential of Visible–Near Infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy using the AS7265X multispectral sensor, operating at 410–940 nm, which is portable and more affordable than a laboratory spectrophotometer. A total of 120 samples were used, consisting of 90 unripe (stage 2) and 30 naturally ripened (stage 6) bananas. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) was employed to classify the spectral data, achieving a classification accuracy of 100%. The Vis-NIR spectral patterns showed apparent differences among treatments. Unripe bananas had high reflectance in the blue–green region, while tree-ripened bananas showed increased reflectance in the red and NIR regions. The 64 g/kg carbide treatment yielded a spectral pattern resembling natural ripening, whereas the single lump carbide treatment showed lower reflectance values across most wavelengths. These findings confirmed the potential of the AS7265X sensor to efficiently and non-destructively distinguish between natural and artificial ripening. Practically, this suggests that low-cost, portable sensors can be effectively deployed for real-time field inspection and quality control within the fruit supply chain. Future study need to validate the method using larger and independent datasets.
Downloads
References
Asif, M. (2012). Physico-chemical properties and toxic effect of fruit-ripening agent calcium carbide. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 5(3), 150–156.
BPS (Badan Pusat Statistik). (2024). Produksi Tanaman Buah-buahan dan Sayuran Tahunan Menurut Jenis Tanaman, 2023 [Statistik tabel]. BPS-Statistics Indonesia, acessed 16 September 2024. https://www.bps.go.id/en/statistics-table/3/WXpSVU5uUTBOSEl5WVhGQmVESTVSVnBSVlhWeVVUMDkjMw==/produksi-buahbuahan-dan-sayuran-tahunan-menurut-jenis-tanaman-2023.htm
Bafor, E.E., Greg-Egor, E., Omoruyi, O., Ochoyama, E., & Omogiade, G.U. (2019). Disruptions in the female reproductive system on consumption of calcium carbide ripened fruit in mouse models. Heliyon, 5(9), e02397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02397
Chu, X., Miao, P., Zhang, K., Wei, H., Fu, H., Liu, H., Jiang, H., & Ma, Z. (2022). Green banana maturity classification and quality evaluation using hyperspectral imaging. Agriculture, 12(4), 530. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12040530
Hasanzadeh, B., Abbaspour-Gilandeh, Y., Soltani-Nazarloo, A., De La Cruz-Gámez, E., Hernández-Hernández, J.L., & Martínez-Arroyo, M. (2022). Non-destructive measurement of quality parameters of apple fruit by using visible/near-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate regression analysis. Sustainability, 14(22), 14918. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214918
Huang, P.-H., Cheng, Y.-T., Lu, W.-C., Chiang, P.-Y., Yeh, J.-L., Wang, C.-C., Liang, Y.-S., & Li, P.-H. (2024). Changes in nutrient content and physicochemical properties of Cavendish bananas var. Pei Chiao during ripening. Horticulturae, 10(4), 384. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040384
Islam, M.N., Mursalat, M., & Khan, M.S. (2016). A review on the legislative aspect of artificial fruit ripening. Agriculture & Food Security, 5, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-016-0057-5
Kasampalis, D.S., Tsouvaltzis, P., & Siomos, A.S. (2025). Assessment of melon fruit nutritional composition using VIS/NIR/SWIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics. Horticulturae, 11(6), 658. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11060658
Liew, C.Y., & Lau, C.Y. (2012). Determination of quality parameters in cavendish banana during ripening by NIR spectroscopy. International Food Research Journal, 19(2), 751–758.
Liu, J., & van Iersel, M.W. (2021). Photosynthetic physiology of blue, green, and red light: Light intensity effects and underlying mechanisms. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, 619987. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.619987
Maduwanthi, S.D.T., & Marapana, R.A.U.J. (2019). Induced ripening agents and their effect on fruit quality of banana. International Journal of Food Science, 2019, 2520179. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2520179
Mubarak, M.Z., Lailiyyah, H., Wahyuni, D.P., Aini, M., Rahayu, Y.S., & Dewi, S.K. (2021). Effect of ripening method on banana and pineapple maturation. Inovasi Riset Biologi dalam Pendidikan dan Pengembangan Sumber Daya Lokal, 541–55.
Nasir, U., Ismail, A., Riaz, M., Razzaq, K., Ali, S., Hussain, A., Ameen, M., Saif, A., Aslam, F., & Fernandes de Oliveira, C.A. (2024). Exploring fruit ripening methods: Conventional, artificial, and novel approaches for quality and health. Food Control, 165, 110626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2024.110626
Nguyen, A.X., Ta Ngoc, M.C., Duong, H.T., Nguyen Thi, M.N., Ha, Q.T., Trinh Tran, H.D., & Tran, T.N. (2023). Using VIS–NIR imaging for non-intrusive Musa acuminata banana color changes assessment over a maturity period. EPiC Series in Engineering, 5, 81–90. https://doi.org/10.29007/tfqx
Nguyen, C.-N., Phan, Q.-T., Tran, N.-T., Fukuzawa, M., Nguyen, P.-L., & Nguyen, C.-N. (2020). Precise sweetness grading of mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) based on random forest technique with low-cost multispectral sensors. IEEE Access, 8, 212371–212382. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3040062
Nuhu, A.M., Rabi, A., & Tukur, H.R. (2020). Proximate and elemental analysis of banana fruits (Musa spp.) ripened with various concentrations of calcium carbide. Journal of Chemical Society of Nigeria, 45(4). https://doi.org/10.46602/jcsn.v45i4.501
Okeke, E.S., Okagu, I.U., Okoye, C.O., & Ezeorba, T.P.C. (2022). The use of calcium carbide in food and fruit ripening: Potential mechanisms of toxicity to humans and future prospects. Toxicology, 468, 153112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2022.153112
Omar, A.F., Atan, H., & MatJafri, M.Z. (2012). Peak response identification through near-infrared spectroscopy analysis on aqueous sucrose, glucose, and fructose solution. Spectroscopy Letters, 45(3), 190–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/00387010.2011.604065
Pratiwi, E.Z.D., Pahlawan, M.F.R., Rahmi, D.N., Amanah, H.Z., & Masithoh, R.E. (2023). Non-destructive evaluation of soluble solid content in fruits with various skin thicknesses using visible–shortwave near-infrared spectroscopy. Open Agriculture, 8(1), 20220183. https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2022-0183
Ringer, T., & Blanke, M. (2021). Non-invasive, real time in-situ techniques to determine the ripening stage of banana. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 15, 4426–4437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-021-01009-2
Roy, M., Langthasa, S., & Hazarika, D.N. (2021). Indigenous ripening methods for banana cv. Amritsagar. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 10(3), 432–436.
Solovchenko, A.E., Chivkunova, O.B., Gitelson, A.A., & Merzlyak, M.N. (2010). Non-destructive estimation pigment content ripening quality and damage in apple fruit with spectral reflectance in the visible range. Fresh Produce, 4(Special Issue 1), 91–102.
Tran, N.-T., & Fukuzawa, M. (2020). A portable spectrometric system for quantitative prediction of the soluble solids content of apples with a pre-calibrated multispectral sensor chipset. Sensors, 20(20), 5883. https://doi.org/10.3390/s20205883
Trang, N.M., Duy, T.K., Huyen, T.T.N., Danh, L.V.Q., & Dinh, A. (2019). An investigation into the use of a low-cost NIR integrated circuit spectrometer to measure chlorophyll content index. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE), 8(7C2).
Wahyudi, P.P., & Harsono, B. (2023). Identifikasi mangga arumanis yang dimatangkan dengan kalsium karbida (CaC₂) menggunakan metode spektroskopi. TECHNe: Jurnal Ilmiah Elektroteknika, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.31358/techne.v22i1.368
Walsh, K.B., Blasco, J., Zude-Sasse, M., & Sun, X. (2020). Visible-NIR ‘point’ spectroscopy in postharvest fruit and vegetable assessment: The science behind three decades of commercial use. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 168, 111246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2020.111246
Wang, M., Wang, B., Zhang, R., Wu, Z., & Xiao, X. (2023). Flexible Vis/NIR wireless sensing system for banana monitoring. Food Quality and Safety, 7, fyad025. https://doi.org/10.1093/fqsafe/fyad025
Wang, M., Xu, Y., Yang, Y., Mu, B., Nikitina, M.A., & Xiao, X. (2022). Vis/NIR optical biosensors applications for fruit monitoring. Biosensors and Bioelectronics: X, 11, 100197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosx.2022.100197
Wang, Z., Erasmus, S.W., Liu, X., & van Ruth, S.M. (2020). Study on the relations between hyperspectral images of bananas (Musa spp.) from different countries, their compositional traits and growing conditions. Sensors, 20(20), 5793. https://doi.org/10.3390/s20205793
Zainul, M. (2020). Profil perubahan sifat enjiniring buah pisang raja (Musa paradisiaca) selama proses pemeraman buatan. [Undergraduate Thesis], Universitas Jember Digital Repository.
Zaukuu, J.-L.Z., Mensah, S., Mensah, E.T., Akomanin-Mensah, F., Wiredu, S., & Kovacs, Z. (2024). Combining NIR spectroscopy with chemometrics for discriminating naturally ripened banana and calcium carbide ripened banana. npj Science of Food, 8, 86. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-024-00327-1
Zhang, H., Huang, J., Li, T., Wu, X., Svanberg, S., & Svanberg, K. (2014). Studies of tropical fruit ripening using three different spectroscopic techniques. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 19(6), 067001. https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JBO.19.6.067001
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
