Apple orchards in the northern hemisphere begin the harvest season one after the other. Current long-term predictions foresee a larger production volume than last year, provided that no natural disasters occur. One of the key issues for retail conditions later in the season is the question of preserving product quality and freshness. Shandong AWT Bio-tech, one of the leading companies in the field of keeping apples fresh in cold storage, recently shared their advice for apple preservation management, and introduced the benefits of their 1-MCP technology for the preservation of fresh fruit.
Ethylene controls the ripening process in apples
According to manager Wang, the only way to preserve the nutrients and freshness of apples is to control the ripening and aging process. Warmth and oxygen speed up the ripening process. When the temperature is too high, apples can easily develop fungi that cause the fruit to rot and when the temperature is too cold, then the apple will lose fluid and shrivel.
"There are several conditions apple storage owners have to meet if they want to extend the product quality and freshness of their stock. First, the fruit has to be healthy and without any damage or other imperfections. Furthermore, the fruit has to be harvested at the optimum time in its development. And then the fruit has to undergo proper post-harvest processing under the right conditions. The temperature, moisture, and gas composition in the warehouse all have to be strictly controlled. All of these factors help to slow down the breathing process in fruit."
"Whether storage owners use cold storage or air-conditioning, as long as they control the ethylene activity, then they can preserve the nutrients in apples, the fruit's firmness, and its flavor. This method can help extend the preservation time by 3 months," said manager Wang.
"Ethylene gas is a plant hormone. The ripening process releases small volumes of ethylene gas, but the meristem, seeds, withered flowers, and ripened fruit all produce larger volumes of ethylene. The released ethylene stimulates the combination of RNA and proteins, which speed up the breathing process, and the breathing process in turn begins a series of organic reactions that hasten along the ripening process."
Purified 1-MCP effectively extends the period apples stay fresh
"1-MCP is a competitive ethylene inhibitor. Whether ethylene is present in the fruit or in the environment, 1-MCP will bind with the ethylene receptors in the fruit and thus block the available ethylene from stimulating the breathing process. In other words, 1-MCP temporarily halts the ripening process in apples. Only in the open air, after the fruit leaves the cold warehouse, only then does the fruit produce new ethylene receptors. That is when the breathing process and other organic reactions all restart. In the meantime, the freshness and product quality of apples are well preserved," said manager Wang.
Logfresh technology allows 1-MCP to occupy the ethylene receptors within 24 hours, which means that treatment with this technology prepares fruit for long-term cold storage within a single day. Logfresh technology can effectively reduce the risk of damage during storage, and helps maintain product quality, firmness, crispness, lustrous colors, flavor, fragrance, and nutrients. The active ingredient in Logfresh technology is 1-MCP with a high purity. Furthermore, Logfresh technology is harmless for the human body or the environment. This technology has been successfully applied to inhibit the effect of ethylene in apples, pears, kiwi fruit, avocadoes, bananas, tomatoes, and fresh-cut flowers.
Shandong AWT Bio-tech has more than 25 years of experience in the research and development of products that keep fruit fresh for longer. The company places emphasis on product research and development, as well as technological innovation. Shandong AWT Bio-tech has developed and manufactured a series of products for domestic and foreign markets including 1-MCP preservatives, mango ripening products, banana ripening products, and grape preservatives. Their 1-MCP products are already registered in Turkey and Colombia, and the company works closely together with retailers in even more countries. Shandong AWT Bio-tech is looking for strategic partners to expand their market.
For more information:
Shandong AWT Bio-tech
WhatsApp: +86 18615225880
WeChat: +86 18615221030
E-mail: sales@awt-biotech.com
Website: www.chinesepost-harvest.com