A Spanish research, led by the Centre for Research and Technology (IRTA) in Catalonia, shows that the peach infected with the Monilinia fungus won't rot if it is treated with microwaves. After three years of testing, researchers have succeeded in eliminating the fungus without affecting the fruit's quality. The Monilinia fungus is the leading cause of rot in stonefruit. The European Union, however, prohibits the use of chemical fungicides once the fruit is harvested.
A team from the IRTA-Fruitcentre, in collaboration with the University of Lleida, has conducted a series of experiments so the fruit does not lose its freshness after it is harvested.
"If the peach that comes from the field isn't rotten but is infected, it will rot within four days," said Josep Usall, Postharvest Pathology researcher from the IRTA and lead author of several related studies with this work, the most recent of which was published in Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies.
The research involved the use of microwave technology to heat the peaches immersed in water up to 40 degrees Celsius for 50 seconds continuously. The results show that the fungus is removed without causing any damage to the fruit.
Source: Fyh.es