TOMRA Food Defect Glossary
Cherry Defects and Blemishes
About the TOMRA Cherry Defects and Blemishes Glossary
The cherry common defects and blemishes glossary was developed by the TOMA Food Applications Engineering, Research and Development, and Product Management teams. The information on this page focuses on defects and blemishes observed globally and includes notes on regional naming conventions and variations of defects.
Learn more about TOMRA's sorting and vision systems for cherry defects.
Cracks
|
Defect Name |
Crack |
|
Other Names |
Medialuna; partidura; sutura abierta Corona leve; rajada
|
|
Subcategory |
Stem crack; severe stem crack; nose crack; severe nose crack; suture split; edge crack |
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Cracks appear as a split in the skin in the cheeks, stem cavity, and the stylar scar region. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Cracking occurs when pressure applied to the surface of the cherry causes it to split.
Cherries are sensitive to cracking, and it is possible for cracking severity to reach 90%.
Cracking may be caused by:
However, rootstock, fruit size, cultivar, stage of development, and skin characteristics are all factors that can contribute to cracks.
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More Information |
Some cherries (like Bing, Rainier, Santina) are more susceptible to cracking than others. Additionally, the shape of the fruit contributes to the type of crack developed. |
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Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
26 July 2024 |
Rot
|
Defect Name |
Rot |
|
Other Names |
Prodrido |
|
Subcategory |
Decay; brown rot |
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Infection that has reached the fruit often presents as small, firm brown spots in the infection’s early stages. With time, the cherry will dry out and become shrivelled. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Rot is the product of a fungal infection, including brown rot (Monolinia fruticola and Monolinia laxa), grey mould, and altnernaria alternata. |
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More Information |
Rot can spread both during ripening and storage and leave most of the fruit inedible. |
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Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
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Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Bird Peck
|
Defect Name |
Birdpeck |
|
Other Names |
Herida pajaro
|
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Blemish |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
|
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Birdpeck is a fruit injury caused by birds. |
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More Information |
|
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Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Stemless
|
Defect Name |
Stemless |
|
Other Names |
Sin pedicelo ; desgarro Chapulin |
|
Subcategory |
Stemless; stem pull/tear |
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
The fruit is missing its stem. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
This is generally called by poor picking practices. It can also be caused by the machine during the infeed phase (some cluster cutters for example pull the stem off the cherries) and general mal practise. It especially happens when cherries are not cold and strong to their stems so it’s recommended to run system with cold water. |
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More Information |
|
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Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Insect Damage
|
Defect Name |
Insect damage |
|
Other Names | Dano insecto Gusano |
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
|
|
Cause & Disease Development |
A range of different insects which damage the fruit |
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More Information |
Drosophila Suzuki is the “fruit fly” that can develop eggs under the skin of the cherries and cause long-term rot/shoulder soft. Virosis in Chile is also a known- bacteria that causes rot (pudricion) of the fruit. |
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Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
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Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Bruising
|
Defect Name |
Bruising |
|
Other Names |
Machucon |
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Soft spot on the fruit. It can also be referred as “shoulder soft” so present only on the area around the stem. Generally visible in infrared images. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Cellular damage caused by mechanical impact from picking, transport or processing |
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More Information |
|
|
Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Wind Scar
|
Defect Name |
|
|
Other Names |
Golpe de viento
|
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Appear like a “brown” spot/darker spot. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Wind scars are caused by rubbing of the fruits during harvest/picking. |
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More Information |
|
|
Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Sunburn
|
Defect Name |
|
|
Other Names |
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|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Appear like a “brown” spot/darker spot. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Sunburn is caused by a sudden change in temperature. |
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More Information |
|
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Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Soft
|
Defect Name |
Soft |
|
Other Names |
Blando |
|
Subcategory |
Severe |
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
The fruit is soft |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
The fruit is generally over ripe |
|
More Information |
|
|
Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Doubles
|
Defect Name |
Doubles |
|
Other Names |
Dobles |
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Cherry doubles or doubling occurs when two cherries fuse together. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Doubling is the product of stress on the cherry. It can be caused by higher-than-normal summer temperatures that occur during the period where flower buds begin to differentiate. Some cultivars are more susceptible to doubling than others. |
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More Information |
Double cherries are packable in California |
|
Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Spurs
|
Defect Name |
Spurs |
|
Other Names |
Espolon; hijo |
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Cherry spurs present as a full cherry attached to a much smaller fruit. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Like doubling, cherry spurs occur due to stress on the flower buds early in development. The stress is usually environmental and is the result of high temperatures. |
|
More Information |
Cherries with a spur are packable in California. |
|
Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Fresh Split
|
Defect Name |
Fresh split |
|
Other Names |
Medialuna; partidura; sutura abierta Corona leve; rajada
|
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Split cherries typically have a visible thin crack or opening in the skin of the fruit. As it’s fresh so the contrast to the skin is lower than dried cracks. |
|
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Usually, cherry fruits split open around the stem bowl where water accumulates, but they can also split in other areas on the fruit. It may also be caused by already weak fruit running on the lines with “too cold” water than splits the cherries during the processing. |
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More Information |
Some cherry varieties are more prone to this than others, like Bings. |
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Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Pitting
|
Defect Name |
Pitting |
|
Other Names |
Partidura Corona leve |
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Bruises form where the flesh breaks down and the skin covering the area sinks to compensate.
Damage often only becomes apparent after several days post-injury when stored close to room temperature. It can take longer to appear if the fruit is stored at low temperatures. |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Pitting occurs when the cells in the flesh closest to the skin begin to break down. When this happens, the fruit experiences a loss of moisture.
The cause is typically stress in the form of compression or mechanical impact. However, several factors can help reduce the cherry’s susceptibility to mechanical damage, including temperature, use of gibberellic acid pre-harvest, and protecting fruit during harvest and post-harvest.
|
|
More Information |
Pitting is the most common defect in cherries and is often caused during harvest when the picker touches the fruit rather than the stem. |
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Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Stem Decay
|
Defect Name |
Stem decay |
|
Other Names |
|
|
Subcategory |
|
|
Type |
Defect |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Related to rot |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
See rot |
|
More Information |
|
|
Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
24 July 2024 |
Cosmetic Blemishes
|
Defect Name |
Cosmetic blemishes |
|
Other Names |
Mancha marron/browning |
|
Subcategory |
Browning, Bronzing, Shrivel |
|
Type |
Blemish |
|
Symptoms and Signs |
Noticeable skin color and texture change but no skin break. Shrivelling often accompanied by a leathery texture |
|
Cause & Disease Development |
Browning or bronzing of the fruit skin, often on the side exposed to the sun, these could be called sunburn as well. Shrivelling mostly due to inconsistent watering or drought conditions. |
|
More Information |
|
|
Approved by |
Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Application Engineering, TOMRA Food |
|
Last Updated |
August 14, 2024 |
