Juran Technologies, a manufacturer of equipment for the agricultural and food industries, has developed a revolutionary process to freeze sensitive varieties of fruit, which allows products to retain their original fresh properties after defrosting.

Fruit that undergoes the Fresh Defrost process maintains its structural integrity, moisture, original texture and nutritional value for up to five hours after defrosting, according to the company.

The process is designed as an add-on to existing IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) facilities and allows for the first time the freezing of berries, cherries, pomegranate arils, figs, apricots, mangoes and many more, without losing their taste and becoming mushy as they do with traditional freezing processes.

The company is now looking for potential partners to launch the new technology.

The company’s Alon Hod said the process could have massive potential in a variety of markets: “Fresh Defrost will allow home consumers, restaurants and hotels to enjoy for the first time seasonal fruits with full freshness, all year round.”

Separately, scientists have discovered a new weapon to prevent fresh-cut fruit from becoming contaminated with pathogens.

Recent outbreaks of foodborne diseases in items like packaged spinach have alerted the industry to the need to protect their produce. Now, a study by Vasantha Rupasinghe, a scientist at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, has revealed that vanillin, the predominant phytochemical found in vanilla beans, can help prevent contamination when mixed with a post-cut dip solution.

Rupasinghe investigated the antimicrobial effects of vanillin against pathogenic and spoilage organisms in refrigerated fresh-cut apples, believing the product could help extend shelf-life. The phytochemical was combined with a post-cut dip called NatureSeal, which prevents browning and softening of apples, and was then tested against a range of pathogens known to affect fresh produce.

The research demonstrated that vanillin inhibited microbial growth in slices of Empire apples by 37 per cent over 19 days, and by 66 per cent with the Crispin cultivar.