Citrosol continues developing new postharvest solutions

Orihuel Benito, CEO of Productos Citrosol, said that "the activity at the booth has been frantic this year, especially the first two days of the fair, with international meetings and visits."

Citrosol, which has presence on five continents, recorded a sales quota of 35% outside Spain. In this sense, Orihuel noted that "exhibiting at the Fruit Logistica is important because operators from all over the world meet here so it is an unmatched opportunity to meet our international customers and make new contacts. Last year we consolidated the growth of the previous four years. We are working hard and it seems that in 2014 new customers will incorporate Citrosol. Thanks to them, and the growth of our existing customers, we expect 2014 to be a good year for Citrosol."

As is usual in each edition of the Berlin fair, Productos Citrosol exhibited their latest technology and postharvest waxes. In this sense, Benito Orihuel stressed, "there is enormous enthusiasm for our coating for pineapples, which will launch shortly into the market and which we believe will improve the freshness and shelf life of pineapples on arrival and points of sale."

"We've also wanted to focus this fair towards our Citrocide ® PC P, an integrated system for the hygienic cleaning and rot control of peppers ensuring food security. This system controls postharvest rotting and decreases water consumption."

The Citrocide ® PC P system acts by effectively inactivating all types of microorganisms, both those which cause the peppers to rot as well as pathogens that are potentially hazardous to human health. The system reduces or eliminates microbial contamination on the surface of the peppers and the washers.

Benito Orihuel stressed that the Citrocide ® PC P system "has managed to make a barrier of the washing process. A firewall that prevents cross-contamination and minimizes the pepper's surface contamination, ensuring consumers that they are safe."

The effectiveness of this system in controlling the rotting process has been demonstrated in all varieties of pepper and may reach 100% after seven days of storage at 20ºC and 85% relative humidity. At room temperature the system is 95% effective after eleven days. It effectively controls infections of fungal origin as well as rotting caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum.