New research conducted by the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) has found significant quality benefits for plums and pluots when using the SmartFresh quality system, an industry-trusted solution that allows growers, packers and retailers to better manage ripening from the field to the consumer.
AgroFresh, a global leader in produce freshness solutions, has commercialised SmartFresh for more than 20 years and continues to expand its use globally.
'Through this research we were able to investigate the effectiveness of AgroFresh's SmartFresh quality system on plums and pluots,' said Carlos Crisosto, director of fruit and nut research and information centre at UC Davis.
'In addition to extending shelf life, SmartFresh-treated fruits maintained optimal flavour and visual characteristics, as well as a reduced incidence of disorders that enhance market life and reduce waste.'
The UC Davis research confirms the commercial practice in many countries where packers rely on SmartFresh to extend the marketability of their plums.
The study demonstrated plums and pluots treated with SmartFresh offer five key benefits for growers, packers and consumers.
The benefits included extending market life by six to nine days, preserving the fruit’s firmness (by up to 24 days for plums and 15 days for pluots when treated), and the delay of softening and skin colour changes after fruit is removed from cold storage.
Other benefits included maintaining the ability to ripen properly and maintain flavour (organic acids) at the 'ready-to-eat' stage by reducing titratable acidity, and a proven reduction in the incidence of cold storage disorders such as flesh browning, flesh bleeding and flesh translucency.
'The results from this study further signify why customers collaborate with AgroFresh. The SmartFresh quality system provides a range of post-harvest benefits even for vulnerable, highly perishable fruits,' said Fernando Edagi, North America business development manager at AgroFresh.
'We're continuing to invest in the expansion of solutions across various crops, so the produce industry has access to proven solutions that extend shelf life, help deliver optimal taste and texture, and reduce food loss and waste,' he added.
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