Stepac has launched a chemical-free post harvest system to preserve lychee during storage and shelf life.
The company claims the new process does away with the need for sulphur of hydrochloric acid treatment of the fruit.
Assaf Shachnai, sales director, said: “The object was to overcome the problems with the lychee fruit turning brown after being picked.”
He said the current method to maintain the fruit colour involved treating the fruit with either sulphur of hydrochloric acid. “However these methods affect the taste of the fruit and we’re starting to see restriction being put on the use of those chemicals in countries throughout Europe.”
The company has now finalized the development of its Xtend modified atmosphere/modified humidity packaging.
Dr Yola Sakes, Stepac’s R&D director, said the system has four advantages: “It ensures the peel colour and softness is maintained in an environmental and user friendly way, there is no detrimental affect to taste, it minimises weight loss and dehydration and decay is also minimised.”
She said the system allows the product to be cold stored for between 14 to 21 days and a shelf life of three days closed, followed by a further three days once removed from the packaging.
Shachnai said they had successfully tested the system commercially last season, on fruit from Israel, shipped by sea to Europe and airfreighted to Canada
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