TOMRA Food defect library
Apple Defects and Blemishes
About the TOMRA Apple Defects and Blemishes Glossary
The apple common defects and blemishes glossary was developed by the TOMRA Food Applications Engineering, Research and Development, and Product Management teams. This information was developed with a focus on defects and blemishes observed globally with demarcation noted on regional variations of defects. We have omitted some common defects of all apples, like decay.
Learn more about TOMRA Food's vision and sorting systems for apple defects and blemishes.
Apple Defects & Blemishes on this page:
The apple defects and blemishes currently included on this page are:
Blemishes:
Apple Defects
Apple Puncture
| Defect Name | Puncture |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Piquete / herida China: 破皮 |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | |
| Cause & Disease Development | Apple punctures are flesh damage caused by stems or branches. They can occur in the field, during harvest, transport, or storage. |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
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Apple Bruise
| Defect Name | Bruise |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Machu con fresco / machu con oxidado 新鲜瘀伤 / 老瘀伤 |
| Subcategory | Fresh / old |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | |
| Cause & Disease Development |
Apple bruises result from mechanical impact with bins, equipment, transport, or other fruit. They can occur during harvest, post-harvest handling, transport, or storage. Old bruises (machucon oxidado / 老瘀伤) are bruises that have dried out during storage. |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Ensure consistency across seasons, batches, varieties and operators with Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Stem Split
| Defect Name | Stem split |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Partidura en el pedicelo / cracking 裂果柄 |
| Subcategory | Fresh / old |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | Small splits in the stem bowl |
| Cause & Disease Development | Fruit cracking, including stem splits, typically occurs during the second half of the growing season and may continue through harvest. It is usually linked to inconsistent water supply. Less common causes include apple scab lesions, late or heavy pruning, poor fruit set, and weak tree vigor. |
| More Information | Stem splits are common in varieties such as Gala and Fuji. |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
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Bonus: Watch to learn how Freshco uses LUCAi to detect stem splits and punctures in apples.
Apple Blotch
| Defect Name | Blotch |
|---|---|
| Other Names | |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | Blotch defects often resemble bitter pit. However, blotch typically appears as a single, larger defect rather than clusters of small spots. |
| Cause & Disease Development | The cause is similar to bitter pit: an imbalance or deficiency in minerals. |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
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Apple Calyx Split
| Defect Name | Calyx Split |
|---|---|
| Other Names |
Partidura en el cáliz 裂果萼 |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | |
| Cause & Disease Development | Some fruit varieties are more prone to calyx split. Field management, including irrigation, can affect development. |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Prevent accidental downgrades and eliminate manual grading delays for apple defects with TOMRA Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Shrivel
| Defect Name | Shrivel |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Dehydration Dehydratacion 失水 |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | |
| Cause & Disease Development | Shrivel is caused by loss of water through the apple skin during storage. |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Ensure consistency across seasons, batches, varieties and operators with Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Bitter Pit
| Defect Name | Bitter Pit |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Cork spot |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs |
Bitter pit first appears as sparse light grey spots on the skin, which can develop into clusters of darker spots.
Inside the apple, brown tissue appears within the white flesh. |
| Cause & Disease Development |
Caused by mineral imbalance (high potassium/magnesium relative to calcium).
Also linked to climate (warm weather, moisture stress) and orchard management such as heavy pruning, early harvest, or excessive nitrogen fertilization. |
| More Information | ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Cortland’ apple varieties are particularly susceptible to bitter pit. |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Prevent accidental downgrades and eliminate manual grading delays for apple defects with TOMRA Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Blackspot
| Defect Name | Blackspot |
|---|---|
| Other Names | |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | Appears as small “dots” on the cheek of the apple or near the calyx. It can also present as larger spots or clustered areas. |
| Cause & Disease Development | Caused by fungal residue on the surface of the apple. |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Prevent accidental downgrades and eliminate manual grading delays for apple defects with TOMRA Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Stem Tear
| Defect Name | Stem tear |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Stem pull |
| Subcategory | Fresh; old |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | Similar to stem split: an opening (tear) in the stem bowl. |
| Cause & Disease Development | Stem tear is caused by mechanical damage in the stem area, often due to picking. |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Detect and eliminate over 95% of apple stem-related imperfections with TOMRA Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Hail Damage
| Defect Name | Hail |
| Other Names | Granizo 冰雹伤 |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | Apples damaged by hail early in the season present with deep depressions that lead the fruit to be completely deformed. A late-season hail event will result in bruising. |
| Cause & Disease Development | Hail damage occurs in the field as the result of a hail storm. |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Ensure consistency across seasons, batches, varieties and operators with Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Rot
| Defect Name | Rot |
|---|---|
| Other Names |
Decay Podrido / Machucon 腐烂 |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect |
| Symptoms and Signs | |
| Cause & Disease Development | Rot is typically caused by a fungal infection that occurs via skin damage. |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Ensure consistency across seasons, batches, varieties and operators with Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Internal Browning
| Defect Name | Internal Browning |
|---|---|
| Other Names | 果肉褐变 |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Defect (Internal) |
| Symptoms and Signs | Internal browning occurs in the fruit’s flesh, usually near the apple core. It is not detectable on the fruit skin except in very severe cases. |
| Cause & Disease Development | Internal browning is very likely caused by CO₂ damage during storage. It can also occur when apples are stored at temperatures that are too low. In some cases, it develops in the field in over-mature or large fruit. Certain varieties such as Fuji, Braeburn, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and Jonathan are more vulnerable to internal browning. |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Detect internal browning and ensure consistency across seasons, batches, varieties, and operators with TOMRA Inspectra2.
Apple Blemishes
Apple Sunburn
| Defect Name | Sunburn |
|---|---|
| Other Names |
Quemado de sol 晒伤 |
| Subcategory | Sunburn necrosis; sunburn browning; photo-oxidative sunburn; delayed or storage sunburn |
| Type | Blemish |
| Symptoms and Signs | Sunburn appears as brown lesions that occur on the skin of the apple. |
| Cause & Disease Development | Sunburn and its subcategories are caused by intense heat change, often from the sun. Sunburn occurs when fruit is picked or in bins in the field during high temperatures. |
| More Information |
Most juvenile fruitlets that develop lesions early in the season will slough off the tree before harvest.
However, fruit can appear free from blemishes when stored but later show delayed or storage sunburn after removal from storage.
Source: |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Ensure consistency across seasons, batches, varieties and operators with Spectrim with LUCAi.
Apple Russet Stem
| Defect Name | Russet – stem bowl and body |
|---|---|
| Other Names |
Russet stem 果梗绣 |
| Subcategory | |
| Type | Blemish |
| Symptoms and Signs |
Russeting appears as brown tissue on the apple skin, often in a net-like pattern. Severe cases may cause cracks in the apple skin. |
| Cause & Disease Development |
Russeting is mainly caused by friction applied to the fruit in the field. Stem russet occurs when the stem rubs against the fruit due to wind. Body russet may occur from fruit rubbing against branches or other fruit. Contributing factors include high humidity, low temperatures during early fruit development, and exposure to caustic pesticide formulations (emulsifiable concentrates). |
| More Information | |
| Approved by | Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food |
| Last Updated | 24 July 2024 |
Detect and eliminate over 95% of apple stem-related imperfections with TOMRA Spectrim with LUCAi.
