CLICK ON A LINK BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE
CLICK HERE FOR: Floral, Fruit &Vegetable test results using our Sachets
CALL: (800) 200-1909 (559) 896-1909 Fax: (559) 896-3232
Now Accepted!
Website Content
All Rights Reserved
© January 2003
Ethylene Control, Inc.
Please select the subject you would like to know more about:
- Should I Worry About Ethylene Gas
- What is Ethylene Gas
- The Effects of Ethylene Gas
- What Does Ethylene Control Do
- Independent Research Supports Ethylene Control's Claims
- How Safe Are Ethylene Control Products
- How Ethylene Gas Effects your Produce
Should I Worry About Ethylene Gas
University researchers findings imply that there is no 'safe' level of ethylene that does not cause a deleterious effect on postharvest life .
If 5 PPB is assumed to be the lowest possible ethylene concentration that can be achieved in a postharvest situation, then holding any non-climacteric fruit and vegetable in 5 PPB ethylene will generate 100% of its possible postharvest life. The percentage loss in postharvest life at any higher ethylene concentration can then be calculated from the regression equations. The percentage loss in postharvest life at 20°C for the 7 non-climacteric produce examined in wills et al. (1999) ranged from 25 to 46% postharvest life was lost.
Conclusions
Although produce may only spend a small proportion of their postharvest life in each marketing situation, the effects of elevated ethylene levels are cumulative. The end result successive levels of moderate ethylene levels throughout marketing can be a very short life in the hands of the consumer.
The industry should be seeking to minimize the impact of ethylene on
produce at all stages of the marketing chain.
The extended market life that would arise from a reduction in
ethylene level during marketing can lead to consumers having greater
confidence in the purchase of fruit and vegetables with a resultant
increase in sales volume and/ or price.
(A complete copy of this report available upon request)
What is Ethylene Gas
Ethylene gas is the ripening agent which occurs naturally in nature. It causes fruits to ripen & decay, vegetables & floral to wilt. Controlling ethylene gas after picking will extend the life cycle of your commodity-allowing them to be held for a much a longer period of time. While refrigeration & humidity slow decay, they don't halt the production of harmful ethylene gas.
Ethylene gas is also used in ripening rooms to color up the fruit then is moved to a regular cold storage room with other produce. Some fruits gassed with ethylene are Bananas, Tomatoes and Avocados. The ethylene gas turns Bananas yellow, Tomatoes red and make Avocados soft and ready to eat. Our products are used before the fruit is gassed to keep it from breaking and after to help slow down the natural decay process. Ethylene gas and it's removal are both important in giving the consumer the best possible product.
While ethylene gas is used under controlled conditions as a ripening agent, even small amounts of ethylene gas during shipping and storage causes most fresh produce to deteriorate faster. Automotive emissions, plastics, smoke and fluorescent lights all increase ethylene gas levels. A single propane-powered forklift can cause serious damage in highly ethylene gas-sensitive commodities.
The Effects of Ethylene Gas
You've seen the effects of ethylene gas damage many times: decay
(fresh produce and flower bulbs); russet spotting (leafy
vegetables and eggplants); yellowing (cucumbers, broccoli and
brussel sprouts); odor (garlic and onions); wilting
(vegetables and cut flowers);
scald and loss of crunch (apples); and rind breakdown
(citrus). Control ethylene gas levels and you preserve freshness.
Our products take the ethylene gas out of the air to slow down the natural decay process of fruits, vegetables and floral. The Power Pellets also kill molds, rots, bacteria and removes odors.
Independent Research Supports Ethylene Control's
Claims
After an independent study in 1997 at the University of California
Davis, research reported that the removal of ethylene gas is "critical
to prevent concentrations that exceed the threshold for ethylene
injury." In this study, several products that claim to eliminate
ethylene gas were tested. Only Ethylene Control was found to remove
ethylene gas. Whether in the laboratory or in actual application.
Ethylene Control products are overachievers. They not only succeed in
their primary function of counteracting ethylene gas, but also in
killing air-born bacteria, viruses, sour rot, blue mold and brown rot
fungi. CF Quality Consultants has proven our Power Pellets also kill
molds and rots. The Townsend reports shows how the pellets kill
bacteria. Contact us for both these reports.
Ethylene control: an essential link in the cold chain. As markets expand
across the country and around the world, preserving freshness is one of
our biggest challenge. While refrigeration and humidity slow decay, they
don't halt the production of harmful ethylene gas.
Use Ethylene Control products during post-harvest handling of fruit,
vegetables and floral commodities during storage and shipment by truck
or sea container.
Distribution Centers
Restaurants
Specialty Packers
Floral Reach-ins Packer/Shippers
Institutions
Retail Walk-ins
Re-packers
How Safe Are Ethylene Control Products
|
|||||||||||||||
CF QUALITY CONSULTANTS Click for Molds & Rots Tests |
|||||||||||||||
How Ethylene Gas Effects your Produce
Ethylene production and sensitivity levels of selected fresh produce, flowers and nursery stock.
| Fruits &
Vegetables
Types Apples Apricots Asian Pears Asparagus Avocados Bananas Berries Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cantaloupe Carrots Cherimoya Cherries Cucumbers Eggplant Grapefruit Grapes Kiwifruit Lemons, Limes Lettuce (*2) Mangoes Melons (*3) Nectarines Onions, Garlic Oranges Papaya Passion Fruit Peaches Pears (*5) Persimmons Plums, Prunes Potatoes (*6) Quinces Tomatoes Watermelons Floral & Nursery Commodities Carnations -Cut Roses -Cut Flower Bulbs Nursery Stock |
Rate of
Ethylene Production
VH H H VL H M L VL VL H VL VH VL L L VL VL L VL VL M M H VL VL H VH H H L M VL L M L VL VL VL VL |
Level of
Ethylene Sensitivity
H H H M H H L H H M L H L H M-H M L H M H H H H L M H H H H H H M H H H H H H H |
Principal
reaction to Ethylene Gas
Scald (*1) Decay Decay Toughness Decay Decay Mold Yellowing Yellowing Decay Bitterness Decay Softening Yellowing Brown Spots Mold Mold Decay Mold Russet spotting Decay Decay Decay Odor, sprouting Mold (*4) Decay Decay Decay Decay Decay Decay Sprouting Decay Shrink, decay Lose firmness Sleepiness (*7) Prem. opening Shrink (*8) Slower start |
|
VL = Very low, L = Low, M = Moderate, H = High, VH = Very High *1. Lose crunch *2. Leafy greens *3. Crenshaw, Honeydew, Persian *4. Rind breakdown *5. Anjou, Bartlett, Bosc *6. Processing, Seed *7. Leaf curl *8. Retards flower formation * Source: Fresh Produce Manual for 1997 from the Produce Marketing Association and the 1991 Sea Land Shipping Guide for Perishables. This is only a partial list. For more information on specific commodities and about the impact of ethylene under various storage and shipping conditions call us toll free in the U.S. (800) 200-1909 or (559) 896-1909. |
|||