Prediction of physicochemical and textural properties of post-harvest ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit based on creep properties

The main purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of predicting the physicochemical and texture characteristics of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit through a theoretical model. Sixteen physicochemical indices of the kiwifruit, including hardness, color change (ΔE), cohesiveness, springiness, soluble solids content (SSC), and Vitamin C, were determined as the factor analysis. The creep properties of the kiwifruit were fitted with three creep models to find the most suitable model, which was selected to produce the key creep parameters. Then, the relationship between the selected creep model and the representative quality indices of the kiwifruit was further investigated and used to produce the quality prediction models for the fruit. It was shown that Vitamin C, SSC, ΔE, hardness, adhesiveness, and springiness were the most representative quality indices of kiwifruit. In addition, the Four-element Burgers model was recognized as the most suitable model to describe the creep behavior of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit. A significant correlation (p < 0.01) existed between the creep model parameters and the most representative quality indices, and the R² of the kiwifruit quality prediction models established by regression analysis were all greater than 0.80, and no significant difference between the predicted value and the actual value was found. These results suggest the feasibility of establishing the quality prediction model for Hayward kiwifruit.