Innovadora Iniciativa will create a nutritious liquid that will maintain the quality of asparagus for a longer time so they can reach their destination as if they were freshly harvested.
The project, Fresh Green Asparagus Innovation System, launched by FIA and developed by the Innovacion y Desarrollo company, aims at validating a preservation system for fresh asparagus in Chile, increasing exports again, and being able to compete in international markets with a product that arrives to its destinations in optimal conditions and that is considered a delicatessen.
Current consumption of fresh asparagus has increased significantly, mainly in the United States. The product's duration, which is subject to its transit time, is key in this business. Chile's geographical location has played against it. The country has gone from being a major exporter to the United States in the 90s to a country that hardly exports nowadays, mainly due to its remoteness in relation to consumer countries.
Currently, most of the asparagus is transported by air, which increases the final cost of production. Ocean freight costs less, but the downside is that the studs can't withstand a three weeks conservation period, which is what it takes for the boat to arrive at its destination markets.
It's worth noting that the processes to which the asparagus is subjected dehydrates it rapidly. The solution to this problem: a liquid solution that the stud absorbs during transport or storage and that maintains its weight and quality as if they were freshly harvested.
This will allow transporting the asparagus by sea with the same quality they would have if they had been sent by air.
Another of this initiative's goals is to implement a new packaging system to contain the nutrient fluid and that could be incorporated into the current production system with minimal impact on production.
According to Juan Carlos Galaz, FIA executive and project manager "this project's innovation was being able to identify a problem in a productive sector, such as being unable to export asparagus by sea due to the product's high perishability, and finding a solution using high technology. The executing company has managed to develop a system for keeping asparagus that will be available for producers and exporters to successfully adopt and incorporate, so the competitiveness of Chilean asparagus improves."
Galza added that this liquid preservative was important, not only because it maintained the quality and weight of asparagus, but also because, as it is harmless and it is authorized in Chile, Peru and the United States.
Source: chillanonlinenoticias