Abstract. During handling apples can be easily damaged if they strike hard objects. Grading equipment is likely to cause such damage unless adequate measures are taken to protect against such impacts. This can be achieved by using appropriate padding materials on all surfaces likely to contact fruit. However, it is very difficult to prevent apple to apple impact on commercial equipment when large volumes of fruit must be graded efficiently. Under these circumstances apple to apple im­pacts can be a major cause of bruising damage. Experiments have been conducted to assess the behaviour of fruit under these impact conditions, and the results of these experiments are presented.