Several photos of limes and limes moving through an optical sorting machine

TOMRA Food defect glossary

Lime Defects and Blemishes

About the TOMRA Lime Defects and Blemishes Glossary

The lime 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 machines for citrus defects.

Lime Roughness

Defect Name

Roughness

Other Names

Rugoso

Subcategory

 

Type

Texture

Symptoms and Signs

 

Cause & Disease Development

Roughness develops in the field.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024


 

Light Scar (Lime) 

Defect Name

Light Scar

Other Names

Russet Claro
Rameado claro
Ligte merke, Windmerke
Cicatrice ChiaraRuggine

 

Subcategory

 

Type

Blemish

Symptoms and Signs

 

Cause & Disease Development

This defect is caused by friction resulting from the fruit moving against branches or other fruit due to wind.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

Dark Scar (Lime)

Defect Name

Dark Scar        

Other Names

Russet oscuro

Subcategory

 

Type

Blemish

Symptoms and Signs

 

Cause & Disease Development

Dark scars are caused by the friction created by lime fruit moving against branches or fruit. This is usually caused by wind.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024


Lime Oleo

Defect Name

Oleo

Other Names

Oleocellosis, Oil spotting

Subcategory

 

Type

Defect

Symptoms and Signs

Signs of oleo show up after several days in storage.

Cause & Disease Development

Oleo occurs when the oil sacks in the fruit are damaged by pressure. It usually occurs because the fruit was picked when wet. However, it can also be caused by degreening or be made worse by degreening.

 

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

Juice Black (Lime)

Defect Name

Juice Black

Other Names

Juice black, ugly black

Macha Negra

Piedra o granizo

Donker merke of vrot

Grave or macchia

Subcategory

 

Type

Defect

Symptoms and Signs

 

Cause & Disease Development

Juice black defects are usually a sign of rot or a large dark scar.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

 


 

Puncture 

Defect Name

Puncture

Other Names

 

Subcategory

 

Type

Defect

Symptoms and Signs

A hole in the skin of the fruit

Cause & Disease Development

Caused by long stems creating mechanical damage. IT can occur during harvest, transport, post-harvest or storage.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

 

Blanching

Defect Name

Blanching

Other Names

 

Subcategory

 

Type

Color

Symptoms and Signs

A pale yellow color on found on dark green fruit

Cause & Disease Development

Blanching occurs when the lime doesn’t color properly during the growing process.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

Pinto

Defect Name

Pinto

Other Names

 

Subcategory

 

Type

Blemish

Symptoms and Signs

Pale yellow areas found as blotches around the fruit.  

Cause & Disease Development

 

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024


Lime Sunburn

Defect Name

Sunburn

Other Names

Golpe de sol

Quemaduras

Subcategory

 

Type

Defect

Symptoms and Signs

A yellowish orange or brown color change depending on the severity

Cause & Disease Development

Sunburn occurs when one side of the fruit experiences a sudden change in temperature. This generally occurs when the fruit next to it is picked and creates a heating effect.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

Lime Rot

Defect Name

Rot

Other Names

Clear rot:

Andopdorido

Vrot

Marcio

 

Brown rot:

Bruin

 

Black rot: sur

Subcategory

Clear rot; brown rot; black rot; sour rot; Alternaria; other

Type

Defect

Symptoms and Signs

 

Cause & Disease Development

Clear Rot

A translucent rot caused by the fungus Penicillium digitatum (green mold) or Penicillium italicum (blue mold) (Barmore & Brown, 1980).  The Fungi infection results in cell breakdown particularly in the albedo due to the creation of pectolytic enzymes which degrade the pectin within the albedo cell structure. The initial infection is normally via an injury to the fruit such as a puncture but health fruit can be infected via close contact with infected fruit. 

 

Brown Rot

 

Caused by fungi: Phytophthora hlbemalls or Phytophthora cltrophthora

 

Black Rot

 

Citrus black rot is caused by phylogenetically distinct lineages of Alternaria alternata

 

Sour Rot

 

Caused by Geotrichum citri-aurantii  fungi or a yeast infection of an existing rot. Only difference from clear rot is the sour smell.

 

Alternaria

 

Also known as stylar rot, it occurs when Alternaria alternata fungi is washed into the blossom as the lime fruit develops.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

 

 Long Stem (Lime)

Defect Name

Long Stem

Other Names

Palo largo

Tallo largo

Lang stingel

Gambo allungato

Subcategory

 

Type

Shape

Symptoms and Signs

 

Cause & Disease Development

Long stem occurs when the stem isn’t cut correctly during harvest.

More Information

 

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

Lime Yellowing

Defect Name

Yellowing

Other Names

 

Subcategory

 

Type

Color

Symptoms and Signs

Fruit is an unacceptable yellow color.

Cause & Disease Development

Yellowing occurs as a result of age during post-harvest or in storage.

More Information

 It is a defect when the yellow color of the lime is plainly visible

Approved by

Dr. Chris Johnston, Manager, Applications Engineering, TOMRA Food

Last Updated

14 August 2024

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