1 ) A produce identification apparatus for identifying a produce item, the apparatus comprising: a processor where the processor controls the elements and functions of the apparatus; a plurality of illumination devices where the illumination devices are controlled by the processor to emit, at different times, light energy primarily having a first, second, third and fourth wavelength to illuminate the produce item; an image capture device controlled by the processor where the image capture device captures images of the produce item for processing by the processor; a first image of the produce item captured by the image capture device where the illumination devices are turned off and the produce item is illuminated by ambient light; a second image of the produce item captured by the image capture device where the produce item is illuminated by light from the illumination devices emitting primarily the first wavelength; a third image of the produce item captured by the image capture device where the produce item is illuminated by light from the illumination devices emitting primarily the second wavelength; a forth image of the produce item captured by the image capture device where the produce item is illuminated by light from the illumination devices emitting primarily the third wavelength; a fifth image of the produce item captured by the image capture device where the produce item is illuminated by light from the illumination devices emitting primarily the forth wavelength; and where the processor determines physical parameters of the produce item from the captured images and compares the determined parameters to parameters of known produce to identify the produce item.