There was indeed an appreciable difference in the postharvest behavior of laser labeled
fruit namely citrus, tomato and pepper. For example the optimum exposure time of laser beam for tomato and pepper is shorter than citrus fruit The optimum range of exposure times with
minimum water loss while maintaining the readability of labels was 45-55µs in citrus fruit
whereas 35-45µs in tomato and pepper fruit. Additionally, the extent of laser label shrinkage
was higher in tomato and pepper as compared to citrus. All these differences are mainly
attributed to the peel morphology of the above selected crops. As depicted the thin skinned fruits
such as tomato and pepper suffer substantial amount of water loss at etched areas than the thick
peeled citrus fruit, as the thickness of the cuticle is directly related to the protection against
undesirable moisture loss, but this loss can be greatly diminished by applying wax coatings on
the label. Taking into account all these above mentioned results, this study suggests that laser
labeling could be a viable alternative to the current labeling system; provide individual
traceability without enhancing safety concerns. It was demonstrated that the fruit quality of the
laser labeled fruit remains high as the invasion of epidermis does not promote decay, provide
avenue for pathogens and water loss is easily controlled.