Spanish post-harvest specialist Citrosol highlighted the ways in which the shelf life of citrus can be extended at this year's International Citrus Congress, held in Valencia, Spain.
The company's first presentation on an industrial approach to extending citrus shelf life, suggested that by improving citrus chemical treatmentformulations and fungicide suspensions in maintenance drenchers and watertanks, the rate of decay in citrus would fall.
The firm announced that water-based treatments are a more effective way of applying fungicide to fruit, with their effectiveness on the decay reduction index regularly scoring as high as 97-100 per cent.
Meanwhile,Citrosol researcher Dr Javier Parra, highlighted the issues of producers using the preservative potassium sorbate on citrus.
'Fruitswaxed with a typical amount of two per cent potassium sorbate show an even higher weight loss rate than non-waxed fruits, whereas decay reduction is only 25 per cent,” Parra said.
Parra said that in tests, clementine leaves became desiccated within only 24 hours after potassium sorbate was applied, losing their fresh appearance and looking'old and brittle”.
Citrosol MD Benito Orihuel was pleased with the company's attendance at the event. He said: “The presence and science-based activities of Citrosol at the recent International Citrus Congress were a huge hit.'
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