Germany: Food Freshly's 3 steps to longer shelf life
Up to 30 percent of all types of fruit and vegetables go to waste through post-harvest damage – an appreciable economic loss. Precious and easily perishable products are particularly affected. The greatest loss arises through bacteria, mould, fungi and rottenness; for this reason, the top priority for freshly harvested agricultural products is sterilisation and germ-freeing/germ-blocking.
In addition to this, the use of equipment for the removal of floating debris and for filling purposes, particularly in apple processing sector, is increasing constantly. The process water in this equipment is contaminated during use within a very short time through fungus and yeast spores. If healthy fruit is infected through contact with contaminated water, it can spoil before or during marketing.
The test series carried out at German institute Esteburg Fruit-Growing Centre Jork, have shown that, after the use of the germ-freeing agent Fruit Cleaner Antiox in customarily burdened process water originating from the removal of floating apple debris, almost total inhibition of spore germination took place after an incubation time of two minutes. The effectiveness extended to all existing types of fungus and yeast spores.
Further projects to establish active concentration and exposure times for the water samples from apple floating debris removals and cherry sorting plant (also for other stone fruit cultures such as peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums) are being carried out.
The EHEC crisis in Germany last year aroused the attention of the whole food industry and brought about the demand for the reduction of any type of germs and fungi and to do more for product safety. 3-PPP Plus from FOOD freshly is an investment in product safety which pays off through greater sales revenue and less goods having to be taken back.
The 3-PPP concept
3-PPP stands for pre-sanitising, process water disinfection and preservation and is a germ-freeing, process water disinfection concept for a longer shelf-life. It is based on a synergy effect of the European patent EP 1301084 and FOOD freshly expertise.
How does 3-PPP work in practice?
1. First of all an analysis is carried out as to the quality of the process water with which the products to be processed are cleaned externally before commencement of the cutting process as there are great differences in the drinking water quality. By adding a germ-freeing agent, not only external contamination of the products is eliminated but also adhering particles such as, for example, germs, fungi, bacteria or residues of plant protection products – that is materials which are otherwise “carried” up to final packaging – can be removed to the greatest extent. It is first of all a matter of reducing the number of germs before cutting or processing as far as possible.
2. Several immersion tanks are used in the processing plants in practice. The process water in these immersion tanks is polluted with an increased number of germs after a short period and thus has to be changed several times a day. By adding the germ-freeing agent, Fruit Cleaner Antiox, this processing water can be kept germ-free for up to 12 hours.
3. After cutting, the agricultural products are introduced to an immersion tank, to which a freshness retainer provided by FOOD freshly, is added to improve their shelf-life which. The choice of the agent, the dose and the length of time in the immersion tank are tailored exactly to the product. FOOD freshly extends the freshness and shelf-life of freshly cut fruit, vegetables and salad naturally and gives the products a vital appearance. The freshness retainers are produced in Germany in accordance with a patented process (European patent number EP 1301084). It consists of special mixtures of valuable minerals, nature-identical acids, vitamins and plant ingredients which are free of sulphite, sugar and without allergens, gmo-free (non-genetically modified organisms), glutamates, lactose and gluten.
Food freshly has put new freshness retainers on to the market as special formulations in accordance with the Swiss Regulation of the EDI 817.022.31 and in accordance with the Dutch positive list nVWA. The additives contained in the freshness retainers are also listed by the American food and health authority (US FDA) as GRAS. FOOD freshly is also registered with the American food and health authority.
For more information:
Sukhdev Singh
FOOD Freshly AFC GmbH
Tel: +49 5206 9152 50
Fax: +49 5206 9152 92
[email protected]
www.food-freshly.de