Kiwi and Ethylene

How ethylene damages kiwi

2023-01-12 18:30:56

There are more than 400 varieties of kiwifruit, the most common being green (HAYWARD) and yellow (GOLD).

The demand for kiwifruit is increasing year after year due to the boom in consumption of the fruit and its high nutritional properties and pleasant taste.

Kiwifruit is a highly sensitive climacteric fruit and as little as 5-10 PPB (parts per billion) of ethylene will induce general softening. This means that exposure of kiwifruit during harvest, transport and storage should be avoided.

More and more producing countries are exporting around the world, posing a logistical challenge for a fruit that is extremely sensitive to ethylene.

Scientific studies have shown that ethylene has negative effects on kiwifruit:

- Accelerated ripening and overripening.

- softening and loss of skin firmness

- White central inclusions

- Increased incidence of rots and mycobacterial infections.

- Green core due to overripening

- Aggravates pericarp translucency

- Kiwifruit wilting and weight loss due to increased respiration

BION with its TRANSPROTEKT filters and ETHYL STOPPER sachets delays ripening and increases the storage time and shelf life of kiwifruit.

Utilize BION's ethylene and other volatile compound absorption technology:

- Increases shelf life

- Reduces waste

- Eliminates odors

- Maintains batch homogeneity

- Maintains fruit color

- Maintains skin firmness

- Harmless to workers

- It is compatible with organic farming as no additives are added.

- It is disposable and recyclable once the product is used up.

- Easy to handle and cheap

In our blog...

Ethylene & banana

Banana is a climacteric fruit that increases its respiration and produces a lot of ethylene during its postharvest phase. They are usually harvested at a stage prior to ripening for transport and then artificially ripened in ethylene chambers. Banana quality can be seriously affected if bananas produce moderate amounts of ethylene during transport. Ethylene affects bananas in ways that: It accelerates ripening and over-ripening. Softening and causing loss of firmness. Alters the color of bananas causing yellowing. It suffers a higher incidence of rots and microbial infections such as: Calletotrichum Musae, Botrytis Cinerea or Lasiodiplodia Theobromae. Lower lot homogeneity after artificial ripening. To avoid wastage, measures must be taken to ensure that green bananas are not exposed to ethylene until artificial ripening is required. The most common diseases due to the effect of ethylene are obvious to the naked eye. Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum Musae, is a typical post-harvest disease that is evident on ripe bananas, showing wounds and skin openings. The removal of ethylene during transport delays the development of anthracnose after artificial ripening. In the case of the banana crown, it is common to see its rotting or degradation during postharvest. Crown rot is usually caused by Lasiodiplodia Theobromae, among other fungi, showing dehydration and blackening during ripening. This is activated by ethylene creating a degradation of the skin that invades the whole fruit. To avoid uncontrolled ripening, it is necessary to eliminate ethylene and prevent fungi from proliferating. BION's Transprotekt filters and Ethyl Stopper sachets have an antimicrobial action that extends the shelf life of bananas while removing ethylene from the environment thanks to the action of potassium permanganate. The use of Transprotekt filters and Ethyl Stopper sachets: Increases the shelf life of the product Reduces waste due to over-ripening or spoilage Maintains batch homogeneity after artificial maturation Eliminates odors in cold stores Avoids complaints, returns, renegotiations from customers Allows to benefit from price fluctuations Harmless to workers, bananas and the environment Maintains the color of the banana Easy to handle and inexpensive Compatible for use in organic products

VOC's and Ethylene

Ethylene and Volatile Organic Compounds have a very close relationship with fruit ripening and skin weakening leading to significant yield losses. It is known that climacteric and non-climacteric fruits have a unique odor. These odors are actually Volatile Organic Compounds that are emitted by the fruit and become a signal that attracts pests and pathogens. The mixture of volatiles such as limonene, acetaldehyde and ethanol induce the germination of fungal spores such as Penicillium that attack the surface of the fruit. These different fungal species colonize the fruit and emit large amounts of ethylene. Ethylene is also a chemical signal that tells the fungi to attack the fruit, so the infection process feeds back and accelerates causing fruit degradation. An effective way to prevent this cycle of chemical signals from continuing is to adsorb the ethylene with products developed specifically for this function, such as BION's Transprotekt Sachets and Filters. In this way, the ethylene emitted is neutralized, the chemical signals that attract fungi are cancelled out and the firmness of the skin remains intact, allowing the shelf life of the fruit to be extended. Eliminating ethylene from fresh produce is crucial for extending shelf life during post harvest. BION’s wide range of products and technology can help you eliminating it from the environment.

What is Ethylene?

Ethylene is a Plant Hormone. A hormone is a substance that in very low concentration (0,015ppm) induces massive changes in produce metabolism. It regulates the processes associated with ripening and senescence. Being a gas, it can cumulate in closed environments: inside packaging, cold storage rooms and transport containers. The more ethylene cumulates in a closed environment, the more ethylene is produced, and the ripening process goes faster. Ethylene affects to fresh produce: Accelerating ripening Accelerating senescence Favors shriveling and weight loss Favors disease expression Increases the risk of physiological disorders Induces chlorophyll degradation Eliminating ethylene from fresh produce is crucial for extending shelf life during post harvest. BION’s wide range of products and technology can help you eliminating it from the environment.

Kiwi and Ethylene

How ethylene damages kiwi

In our blog...

Ethylene & banana

VOC's and Ethylene

What is Ethylene?

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