Apples

Research Results using Bluezone® Fresh Preservation Technology

Refrigerated Storage FFV Research Trials

Introduction

The apples were stored with and without Bluezone in the storage rooms. The apples were from Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum Rheinpfalz (DLR) Kompetenzzentrum Gartenbau in Rheinbach/Klein-Altendorf.

The 'Pinova Roho', 'Pinova Standard', 'Elstar' and 'Sapora' varieties were stored. They were supplemented by additional test variants. As a result, treatment was also undertaken with MCP.

The two 'Pinova' varieties were supplemented by a variant with a fungicide (Scala). The variants are illustrated in the following table. 

Variants :

Between 70 and 100 apples per variant were available for rating the removal-from-storage and subsequent storage. 

The temperature and rel. air humidity were set to 3°C and 95%, respectively. On 1. 14.2013 the ambient temperature was raised from 3°C to 10°C. The temperature and ethylene content of the air were taken twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays) and documented. 

For checking the temperature, evaporation trays were set up in the storage rooms. A test spike thermometer (testo 112) was used to establish the water temperature. The ethylene content of the air was checked using the Dräger hand-held appliance (Dräger X am 5000). The ethylene measured data produced the following graph 

Conclusion

The Bluezone® Fresh Preservation Technology had reduced total bacterial count, yeast and moulds in Apples.   A reduction in ethylene and an in increase shelf of marketable apples was evident.