LA CHARGE ET LE TRANSPORT EN VRAC DE LA TOMATE POUR INDUSTRIE: ETUDE DES FACTEURS AGISSANT SUR LES PERTES DE PRODUIT ET DE QUALITÉ ET MODELES DE PRÉDICTION

The processes of loading and transport in bulk of industry tomato fruits have a remarkable influence on the final result of the agricultural-industrial process, since the economical losses may be important if the process is not properly realized.

Tomato fruits suffer mechanical damages during the loading process and their importance depends on agronomical factors (cultivar, maturity level of the fruits when harvesting, last irrigation date) as well as the loading system (falling height of the fruits, intermediate container between the combine- harvesting and the transport vehicle).

Prediction models have been got in order to estimate the mechanical damages and losses during the transport. The main influencing factors are the transport distance, the loading height and the lapse of time between loading and unloading. According to the model for juice losses, these losses are 2,89% when the loading height is 1 m, 25 km the transport distance and 5 hours between loading and unloading, while they are 12,88% when the loading height is 1,40 m, 150 km the transport distance and 25 hours between loading and unloading. The transport influence on some quality rates (solubles solids, pH and Howard index) has been studied and it has been found no significative influence on them when transport distance is reasonable.