Purfresh – a US-based provider of clean technologies which purify, protect and preserve food and water – has released in a press statement the results of a study which demonstrate that Purfresh Cold Storage and Purfresh Transport can effectively protect table grapes from mould and spoilage, without traditional chemical applications.

Until now, the company claims noxious and corrosive chemicals were believed to be the only effective approach for controlling contamination, with sulphur dioxide fumigation and slow-release sulphur dioxide pads widely used to kill mould and prevent rotting.

In the study, cartons of Crimson Seedless grapes were exposed to Botrytis cinerea and processed with four different treatments: one with Purfresh technology, one with sulphur dioxide fumigation, one with slow-release sulphur dioxide pads, and a no–treatment control.

After 46 days in commercial refrigeration, the cartons were removed and compared for signs of mould. According to Purfresh, none of the Purfresh-treated samples showed evidence of Botrytis cinerea nesting, whereas all of the other samples showed significant nesting.

“This study confirms the results of multiple third-party, government and university studies using our cold chain solutions, which demonstrate that our systems protect and maintain produce freshness better and longer than traditional methods,” said David Cope, president and CEO of Purfresh.

“Having tolerated decades of caustic sulphur dioxide gases and allergenic sulphite residues, the fresh produce industry is ready for a safer, cleaner and more effective way to protect fruit. Our solutions align with the EU’s initiative to reduce chemical residues on fruit, and they enable the fresh produce industry to cost-effectively meet growing demand for organic produce.”

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