Oppy has revealed that it has completed a trial of a new shelf-life extension technology from Hazel Technologies with South American-grown red seedless grapes.
According to Oppy, the goal of the trial was to both achieve greener and more turgid stems with no signs of shriveled grapes, and to maintain superior storage life under transit and warehouse conditions.
By utilising the latest innovations from Hazel Tech – in this case, the group's Hazel for grape sachets that release active, shelf-life enhancing vapours to slow food wastage during transit and storage – Oppy is aiming to leave a widespread impact across the supply chain benefiting consumers, retailers and the environment.
“Oppy enjoys an excellent reputation in the market for its unrivalled level of quality control, thanks to our commitment to innovation and technology across our operations,” said Oppy’s national quality control manager Patricio Mendoza. “The success of this trial is a reflection of our ongoing, focused efforts in being first to market with pioneering technology that adds tangible value to retailers and consumers alike.'
The trial was carried out using pallets of grapes that were shipped from South America to Los Angeles, some of which were treated with Hazel’s sachets while the others were shipped without any additions.
Upon arrival, the treated grapes 'had a crisper texture with stems that showed no signs of dehydration, were greener and looked stronger, while containing no shriveled fruit', Oppy said.
The results suggested that Hazel sachets are effective on varieties with drier stems with further studies needed to explore the broader applications of the technology.
It is one of several trials that Oppy has conducted with Hazel Tech, including an earlier project with kiwifruit that was held in conjunction with a University of California, Davis study that focused on the application of Hazel for kiwifruit.
“Our Hazel for grape partnership with Oppy, the largest importer of South American grapes, demonstrates how impactful our technologies can be in improving sales, reducing food waste, and providing a better eating experience across the globe for consumers of fresh table grapes,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO at Hazel Technologies.
