Sometimes, you’re just damned if you do or damned if you don’t. It’s hard not to feel a degree of sympathy for the developers of SmartFresh, which is being roundly criticised for ably performing a role the industry was crying out for at the time of its introduction.

The product has succeeded in improving the storability, and in-store performance, of certain varieties of apples. It has extended their shelf-life potential and seasons. There has never been a detection of residue exceedence on apples treated with SmartFresh once they have been removed from cold storage. In short, here we have a product that does exactly what it says on the tin.

There may be oversupply now, but while there remains a need to increase global consumption, the potential use of SmartFresh will continue to grow. What the jingoists fail to recognise is that they are bad-mouthing a technology that may have a significant part to play if local sourcing initiatives are to move forward as they hope.

It makes good copy for the national hacks and it keeps Tim Lang’s ever-audible voice in the press, but Adrian Barlow is spot on - it feeds the understandable ignorance of the nation, and can only serve to reduce the public’s interest in buying healthy foods.

Thanks for being with us through another action-packed 12 months in fresh produce. A very Merry Christmas to all our readers and best wishes for 2006.