A method for recovering a posteriori information about the operation of a plant for automatic classification and sorting which automatically divides pieces of fruit into a plurality of different qualitative classes, the method comprising the following operating steps: an acquisition step wherein one or more digital images of a reference piece of fruit are acquired, where the reference piece of fruit is a piece of fruit previously processed by means of the plant for automatic classification and sorting; a processing step wherein the one or more digital images are processed by an electronic device, so as to identify a first group of individualizing features of the reference piece of fruit; a comparison step wherein an electronic device is used to compare the first group of individualizing features with each of a series of second groups of individualizing features each corresponding to a different piece of fruit processed by the plant for automatic classification and sorting, in order to establish a match between the individualizing features of the first group and the individualizing features of one of the second groups; an extraction step wherein an electronic device is used to extract from an electronic database operating information which corresponds to information used or generated by the plant for automatic classification and sorting for classification of the relative processed piece of fruit and/or to information about sorting of the relative piece of fruit processed by the plant for automatic classification and sorting, where in the electronic database the operating information is associated with the second group of individualizing features for which during the comparison step the match with the first group of individualizing features has been established. an acquisition step wherein one or more digital images of a reference piece of fruit are acquired, where the reference piece of fruit is a piece of fruit previously processed by means of the plant for automatic classification and sorting; a processing step wherein the one or more digital images are processed by an electronic device, so as to identify a first group of individualizing features of the reference piece of fruit; a comparison step wherein an electronic device is used to compare the first group of individualizing features with each of a series of second groups of individualizing features each corresponding to a different piece of fruit processed by the plant for automatic classification and sorting, in order to establish a match between the individualizing features of the first group and the individualizing features of one of the second groups; an extraction step wherein an electronic device is used to extract from an electronic database operating information which corresponds to information used or generated by the plant for automatic classification and sorting for classification of the relative processed piece of fruit and/or to information about sorting of the relative piece of fruit processed by the plant for automatic classification and sorting, where in the electronic database the operating information is associated with the second group of individualizing features for which during the comparison step the match with the first group of individualizing features has been established. <EOS>