Fruits with thick rind have been reported to interfere with the measurement of internal quality of non-destructive near infrared spectroscopy. This review provides an overview of issues related to the use of near infrared spectroscopy for measuring internal and external quality attributes of horticultural produce with thick rinds. The use of other non-destructive techniques for assessing internal and external quality thick rind fruit, such as hyperspectral and multispectral imaging systems, X-ray micro-computed tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopy are also discussed. A concise summary of research and potential commercial application for each of the techniques is highlighted. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.