Photo: Messenger
Bangladesh ranks seventh globally in mango production, with the fruit being renowned for its unparalleled taste, aroma, sweetness, and nutritional value. In the summer season, mangoes are in high demand among fruit lovers across the country.
According to various national reports, nearly one million tons of mangoes are produced annually in Bangladesh. However, due to accurate determination of sweetness post-harvest marketing is critical. Traditionally, it is impossible to assess the sweetness of a mango without tasting it, making precise marketing based on sweetness a challenge.
While other countries classify mangoes by sweetness for marketing, Bangladesh has yet to adopt such practices.
In light of this, a research team from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) has developed a non-invasive method using 'E-Nose' technology to assess the sweetness and firmness of mangoes.
This marks the first successful use of ‘E-Nose’ and ‘MQ sensors’ in Bangladesh for this purpose, according to the lead researcher, Dr. Anisur Rahman, a professor from the Department of Farm Power and Machinery at BAU.
Dr. Rahman stated that the technology allows for the detection of sweetness and firmness without physically touching the fruit. As a result, Bangladesh would be able to grade and market mangoes based on sweetness, similar to practices in other countries.
The research began in July last year under the project titled "Prediction of Mango Quality Using MQ-based Electronic Nose (E-Nose)." The year-long project was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology with a budget of BDT 5 lakhs. A research paper detailing the project’s findings has already been published in Smart Agricultural Technology, a Q1 journal.
Currently, both farmers and consumers assess mango sweetness and firmness by touch or visual inspection. Repeated handling can lead to the fruit deteriorating faster.
To address this issue, the research team aimed to develop a method that could determine sweetness and firmness without any physical contact.
Dr. Rahman explained that the E-Nose uses sensors to measure the concentration of sweetness-indicating compounds present in the gasses emitted by the mango.
When placed in the E-Nose chamber, the fruit’s aroma is analyzed, and within moments, the sweetness and firmness levels are determined. The technology is affordable and can estimate how long it will take for a mango to ripen after harvest, as well as predict when the fruit may become soft or begin to spoil.
Kazi Sakibur Rahman, a master’s student involved in the project, highlighted that in developed countries, food products are often classified and labeled with nutritional information to ensure public health. This allows individuals with conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease to purchase foods that meet their dietary needs. With the introduction of E-Nose technology in Bangladesh, fruits like mangoes can now be classified by sweetness, enabling patients with such conditions to make informed decisions on fruit consumption based on their doctor's advice.
Another master's student, M Mirajus Salehin, elaborated on the mechanics of the device. The E-Nose consists of two chambers, an Arduino Uno microcontroller, a Raspberry Pi 4, a low-cost MQ sensor, a 12-volt battery, and a blower fan. To measure sweetness, a mango is placed in one chamber, where it emits aroma gasses that are transferred via a pipe to the second chamber.
The sensor in this chamber analyzes the gas, and once the process is complete, a blower fan expels the gas. Python programming is used to analyze the sensor data.
The research team hopes that this technology can be extended to the field, allowing farmers to grade their mangoes based on sweetness, benefiting both producers and consumers.
Messenger/Likhon/Sourov
