This has been a busy summer for those of us at Ethylene Control. We've seen our product usage expanded to include new commodities and seen demand for filters, sachets and machines climb as well. Thus, it is no surprise that we've had to expand our headquarters facility. We just completed a building that doubles our current square foot capacity and will allow us to better service our customers. More space for manufacturing and product storage will be a big help. If you are in the Central Valley area, please stop by and say hello.

Sadioan Brothers Span Generations Young Trading Company Sees Success Melons: Ethylene Sensitive Upcoming Events Texas Produce Convention - Sep. 10-13 Corpus Cristy, Texas Produce Marketing Association Convention - Oct. 18-21 Anaheim, California Pack Expo West '97 - Oct. 13-16 Las Vegas, Nevada

Cliff Sadoian, Charles' grandson, is now the President of the operation which includes some 900 acres of diversified tree fruit and grapes. Sadoian Brothers now pack for approximately 20 independent growers farming more than 1,500 acres from Visalia to Madera and from Dinuba to Kettleman City.

Cliff's father, George Sadoian, a teenager in the 1930's, picked and packed figs from some trees that Charles had on the ranch. He got his start in the fruit shipping business when he sent his figs to the Eastern markets on the Railway Express. Zaven and Vasken Sadoian, George's younger brothers, assisted him in the venture. George graduated from Fresno State University (FSU) in the early 1940's as a chemist, but never worked at the profession. Instead, after World War II, he leased a packing house facility in Sultana and bought grapes on the vine and packed and shipped the grapes and figs. He was joined by his two brothers and in 1948 formed Sadioan Brothers.

In the 1950s the three brothers started acquiring their own property of mostly grapes and figs. However, in the 1960s they began to diversity into tree fruit, and now their number one commodity is nectarines, followed by table grapes, peaches, plums. They also pack fresh figs, pomegranates, quince, apricots, persimmons.

Cliff began working full time in the packing business after graduating from FSU in 1972. He was joined by cousins, Mike, Charles and Patricia Sadoian. Charles is chief financial officer and makes sure the computer system is on-line. Mike runs the shop and keeps the mechanical needs of the operation met. Patricia is assisting in the office.

In 1959 the brothers built their own packing shed on its current site just off Road 416 between Dinuba and Orosi. Over the past 40 years they have expanded the facility five or six different times and added cold storage space three times. They also made four equipment upgrades to handle their increased volume of tree fruit. Currently they pack in the neighborhood of 1 million to 1.2 million cartons of fruit per year.

Their pack line is automated for electronic grading, sorting and sizing to keep their pack out quality high. Their packing operation runs primarily from May through the middle of November and keeps 35 full-time employees busy year-round, and 350 seasonal people employed through the peak months.

"Handling of the product is very important. We do everything to reduce bruising." said Cliff. "I don't care what the commodity is, persimmons, grapes or pomegranates, handling is the name of the game. Getting fruit handled properly and cooled, graded and packed properly is what is going to separate the best packers from the rest of the industry."

Cliff stated that handling of the tree fruit which goes into its "3 Sons" label is a top priority with them. That's why they have been so diligent in managing their ethylene levels in their packing facility and storage areas since the earliest days. "We have ethylene machines in all our holding rooms and even have two machines in the persimmons because they are extra sensitive to ethylene," Cliff said. "The machines have made a big difference in our operation. This year we are using sachets on plums for overseas shipments and always use ethylene filters in our overseas containers. It is proven that it definitely makes a positive difference.

The three brothers are retired now, but make daily visits to the packing house to keep current with what's happening in the industry.

Cliff has served on the Peach Committee of the California Tree Fruit Agreement and was past chairman of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League and currently serves on that organization's board of directors. He is also a member of the Tulare County Farm Bureau.

A study to evaluate methods of improving green plantain quality at export destination was conducted by independent researchers. Ten-week plantains were packed in polyethylene bags and boxed for shipment to Europe. There were untreated controls and "treated" replications using Ethylene Control sachets. The plantains were packed on Jan. 17, 1997. They were inspected in Rotterdam Feb. 7 (21 days after packing), the 10th and 17th. Upon opening, they found plantains were green. By the 10th, some had black spots and yellowing on the control. Another shipment was opened Feb. 10. The control showed 23% green, 77% yellow. Shipments with EC sachets were 76% green, 25% yellow.
The treatment for prolonging greening with EC sachets showed significant benefits confirming previous research.

After completing the farm training program in the U.S., Sato returned to Brazil and traveled all around his country to advise farmers on the new technology concerning tree fruit growing and handling. He also lectured new students in the program on the future of agriculture.

Seven year later, Paulo Sato came to the U.S. to help the IFAA here. For four years, he was coordinator for the program which had helped educate him to the ways of modern agriculture. He worked with universities in Ames, Iowa and Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1992, he settled in Fresno, California and opened his own international business, the Sato Agriculture Trading Company. Sato had seen the need to take agricultural technology back to Brazil. But in addition to technology Sato also buys approximately two dozen different agricultural commodities from farms and packing houses in California, Oregon and Washington and ships the produce to Brazil. Last year he shipped more then 150 ocean containers of stone fruit and grapes to Brazil and soon, Sato, who now speaks English and Japanese in addition to his native Portuguese, will begin shipping fruit to Japan, as well.

Some of the primary commodities he handles include peaches, plums, nectarines, grapes, apples, pears, strawberries, persimmons, pomegranates, citrus, mangos, endive, mushroom, asparagus, and artichokes. Over the past two years, Sato has developed a good reputation for his fruit arriving in excellent condition at the port in Brazil.

"I learned about the effects of ethylene gas on many different fruits and vegetables and began using Ethylene Control filters in the shipping containers," Sato said. "The shipment with filters arrived in much better condition."

Last year, he upgraded his program to include sachets in individual cartons of fruit as well as filters in the large shipping containers. The trip for fresh fruit to Brazil in ocean containers takes about 30 days. The fruit looks better and holds on the shelf longer. "Sato also sells Ethylene Control machines to storage operations in Brazil so they can hold their fruit longer without drop in quality due to off-gassing. Ethylene control has been especially important in storing Gala apples in Brazil," Sato said. "The price for Galas doubles after September, and with Ethylene Control we are able to hold Galas through November to get the best prices."

Rapid precooling right after harvest is essential for optimal post harvest keeping quality. The precooling endpoint is typically 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but 39.2 degrees is more desirable.

Honeydew melons need a relative humidity of between 85 and 90 percent. This is essential to prevent desiccation and loss of glossiness in the melons. Proper regulation of the humidity is important also, because extended periods of higher humidity or condensation may encourage the growth of certain surface molds. Cantaloupes require an even higher relative humidity of 95 to 100 percent, but for the same reasons as honeydews.

Storage life for melons is typically 12 to 15 days, however 21 days is attainable under certain conditions. Optimum temperatures for Honeydews and cantaloupes is 45 to 36 degrees, respectively. Holding at lower temperatures can result in chilling injury which shows up when transferred to normal retail display temperature.

"I have witnessed a major increase in the life of my carnations, roses and other cut flowers. Ethylene Control is unbelievable. I've had flowers last as long as three and four weeks in my cold box."
Korner Floral & Gifts, Fresno, California, Lesley Corsaro

"The EC-3+ filtration system removes unwanted ethylene gas from the air in order to improve quality control of all fresh produce handled by our company."
Index Fresh, Bloomington, California, Mike Browne

"We have used Ethylene Control products for years. We put sachets in every box of kiwifruit. Also, we use pellets in our filter systems. By using sachets, we save on repacking and maybe get a little extra money for our fruit."
Venida Packing, Inc., Exeter, California, Verne Crooksbanks

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