Over the past years, IRTA (Institut de Recerca i TecnologĂa Agroalimentaries) carried out a study on the operation of the Fruit Observer in cooperation with Ilerfred, IRTA and the University of Lleida. The results of the chlorophyll fluorescence sensor are positive. The system is ideal for storing fruits and vegetables under Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere (DCA) conditions and is reliable to prevent damage from lack of oxygen during DCA storage.
Compared to other DCA systems, the Fruit Observer is reliable and accurate.
- The Fruit Observer is a self-operating system that can be used in each store, regardless of the brand of CA equipment. There are no high costs involved in adapting the existing CA plant in order to integrate the system.
- The system checks the activity of the fruit several times a day.
- The Fruit Observer responds before ethanol is formed in the produce. By measuring ethanol you are controlling one step behind the facts.
- Ethanol measurement is by definition dangerous because the ethanol produced by apples/pears is adsorbed by surrounding apples/pears so that the presence of ethanol is measured too late.
- The CA store does not need to be turned off nor set at an overpressure before a measurement.
- The Fruit Observer also works when a CA store is not completely air-tight. A system based on RQ measurement can only function when the CA store is 100% gas-tight.
- No decisions based on the average level of a CA store so that weak apples suffers from a larger amount of better apples.
For more information:
Eric van der Zwet
Besseling Group
Tel: +31-229-212154
Email: e.vanderzwet@besseling-group.com
www.besseling-group.com