For its commercialization, both in internal and external markets, fruits are classified according to the degree of ripening, mainly on the basis of peel color. For a correct classification, using artificial lighting, it is necessary it provides a perception of color that is as similar as possible to natural. This paper compares the use of nine different commercial lamps (incandescent, fluorescent e LED) in the classification of banana ripening (subclasses C1 to C7 of Von Loesecke). During the analysis, it was observed that the coordinate of chromaticity a* of the CIELAB system was highly influenced by the use of different sources in the illumination system. The differences in color were visually perceived when a single subclass of ripening was observed under different lamps, mistakenly influencing the grading during packing, thus making it necessary to standardize the illumination used in the systems of visual inspection for the commercialization of fruits. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.