Changes in Acoustic and Mechanical Properties of Cabernet Sauvignon Seeds during Ripening

Abstract

Instrumental mechanical and acoustic variables were determined for berry seeds of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes harvested at different ripening stages. The main goal of this research was to assess the influence of developmental changes on the texture properties of grape seed to provide useful indicators of maturity. Although most of the instrumental texture properties were characterized by a large intrasample variability, the following indices could be considered indicative of maturity: deformation index, acoustic energy, and average sound pressure. A correlation study between the instrumental mechanical and acoustic variables showed that the Young’s modulus of elasticity proved to have the strongest positive correlation with the acoustic variables.