Marc Tielens

Marc Tielens

Bananas will be next in line for the SmartFresh treatment - and AgroFresh is hoping for a repeat of the success it enjoyed in the apple industry, according to Marc Tielens, on the Interpoma 2006 SmartFresh stand.

A US-based trial on SmartFresh bananas is already underway at retail giant Wal-Mart.

Tielens, right, said: “Bananas on the majority of supermarket shelves are either green or brown, and this is not ideal for the consumer.

“If we apply SmartFresh at the ideal colour stage, the banana remains in its best condition for two days longer.”

The SmartFresh system, which has been used on apples for the UK market for the past four years, is also being used to extend the shelf life of pears, kiwifruit and avocado on UK supermarket shelves.