THE USE OF IT’SFRESH! ETHYLENE ADSORPTION PADS TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE BREAKS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN

It’sFresh! ethylene adsorption active “e+^TM” is in commercial use, being contained within a hydrophobic and breathable pad, and used on a number of products including strawberries.
No treatment can completely replace correct temperature management with fresh produce, but the potential of It’sFresh! pads has been evaluated in a trial mimicking a temperature break in the supply chain for strawberries.
Fruit were harvested and packed commercially and sent through the standard cool chain before having a break for 24 h at 18-22°C and then being placed in a cold store set at 6-7°C. The trial was carried out with 100 punnets per week of two cultivars with 100 punnets with the pads placed in at harvest and 100 punnets without the pads for a 12-week period.
Five punnets of each cultivar, with and without the pads, were assessed each day until 50% of the berries in all treatments were considered to have rot or mould.
The punnets with the pads were found to have approximately two days more shelf life than those without.

VI International Conference on Managing Quality in Chains

C.F.H. Bishop

strawberry, temperature management, ethylene

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1091.10