Ensuring fresh, healthy broccoli from farm to fork Tarryn de Beer, Dr Elke Crouch, Prof Karen Theron, Dr Ian Crouch
Broccoli & Food Security Broccoli the super food High nutrient value, health benefits, anti-cancer FOOD SECURITY daily nutritional needs But Highly perishable Susceptible to major losses in stores and at home Losses = less nutri on, less food = Food Security LIMP and YELLOW O 2 / CO 2 H 2 O
What s Causing these Losses? Poor cold chain handling Limiting infrastructure Limited technology Unsalable, low nutrient food
What s Causing these Losses? Poor cold chain handling Limiting infrastructure Limited technology Unsalable, low nutrient food
What s Causing these Losses? Poor cold chain handling Poor harvesting techniques High temperature storage
What s Causing these Losses? Poor cold chain handling Poor harvesting techniques High temperature storage
What s Causing these Losses? Poor cold chain handling Limiting infrastructure Mixed load storage & transport Temperature & Ethylene incompatibilities
What s Causing these Losses? Poor cold chain handling Limiting infrastructure Mixed load storage & transport Temperature & Ethylene incompatibilities
What s Causing These losses? Poor cold chain handling Limiting infrastructure Limited technology Poor packaging No ethylene inhibitors
What s Causing theses Losses? Yellowing Rot The consequences Increased losses Poor quality Water Loss
What s Causing these Losses? Poor cold chain handling Limiting infrastructure Limited technology Unsalable, low nutrient food
Combating the Problem of Losses SmartFresh Ethylene inhibitor Delays ripening Limit yellowing Limit decay Packaging Protect product Limit water loss Maintains crispness MET SmartFresh SAM ACC ETHYLENE RESPONSE
Combating the Problem of Losses SmartFresh Ethylene inhibitor Delays ripening Limit yellowing Limit decay Packaging Protect product Limit water loss Maintains crispness MET ETHYLENE SAM ACC SmartFresh RESPONSE
Retail Market Quality Maintenance Problem: Mixed load storage (ethylene) Sub-optimal temperature exposure No-packaging Solution? Apply SmartFresh and Packaging Mixed load simulation Plus high temperatures
Retail Market Quality Maintenance Packaging Temperature Chemical Evaluation day PenPack 0 C Control Day 1 No bag 7.5 C SmartFresh SM Day 2 12.5 C Ethylene Day 3 REP 1 REP 2 REP 3 REP 4 SF+E Day 4 10 C for 3 days simulate stores
Retail Market Quality Maintenance Gaseous application
Quality indexing Colour Colour score Hue angle Respiration & ethylene CO 2, O 2, C 2 H 4 Weight loss Shrivelling Water loss Incidence of rot Materials and Methods
Storage Results
RESULTS : Colour Change 10 Mean rate of change (β) per day (% yellowing) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 d a e b f f f f c P < 0.0001 LSD 5% f d 0 C 7.5 C 12.5 C Ethylene Control SF+E SmartFresh Treatment Mean rate of change (β) in broccoli colour (% yellowing) during storage at 3 different temperatures after treatment with 3 levels of ripening hormones. Bars with similar letters do not differ on the 5% level (P>0.05).
Colour Score : 7.5 C SmartFresh reduces rate of colour change C SF E SF+E C SF E SF+E 9 days at 7.5 C 14 days at 7.5 C Ethylene = 3.5 times higher rate of colour change VS. SF
RESULTS : Colour Change Mean rate of change (β) per day (% yellowing) 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 a a P = 0.0082 a b b c c c Ethylene Control SF+E SmartFresh PenPak No Bag Treatment Mean rate of change (β) of broccoli colour ( % yellowing) stored in two types of packaging after treatment with four levels of ripening related hormones. Bars with similar letter do not differ on the 5% level (P<0.05)
RESULTS : Weight Loss Water loss (%) 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 g Peninsula Packaging No Packaging P < 0.001 d e ef g fg fg fg fg f 0 4 6 10 13 17 24 27 Days during storage Effect of packaging on weight loss of fresh broccoli heads ( parthenon ) during storage at three temperatures, after treatment with four hormone related chemical treatments during storage at three temperatures for a maximum of 27 days. c b a storage by 2 weeks ef a ef
Accumulated Water Loss: 0 C EFFECT OF PACKGING ON WATER LOSS REDUCTION C SF E SF+E C SF E SF+E PENPACK Macro-perforated bag NO PACKAGING 20 days at 0 C
Shelf-life Results
Maximum storage + 3days quality retail 1. Colour change Yellowing Saleability cut-off point = 25 % yellowing 2. Water loss Saleability cut-off point = 5 % weight loss Storage duration at which both parameters met = maximum storage duration
Colour Score : 12.5 C (6 + 3d SL) Colour score (% yellowing) 100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 No Bag Packaging type PenPack Control Ethylene SmartFresh SF+E Maximum storage duration of Parthenon broccoli at 12.5 C allowing for 3 days saleable retail at 10 C in terms of % yellowing. Saleability cut-off point at 25% yellowing. No bag = control; PenPack = industry standard macro perforated lug liner.
Colour Score : 12.5 C (6 + 3d SL) SmartFresh Inhibits yellowing C SF E SF+E C SF E SF+E PENPACK Macro-perforated bag NO PACKAGING 6 days at 12.5 C + 3 days ambient
Accumulated Water Loss: 12.5 C (6+3d SL) Water loss (%) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Control Ethylene SmartFresh SF+E Chemical Treatment PP (6+3d SL) No Bag (6+3d SL) Maximum storage duration of Parthenon broccoli at 7.5 C allowing for 3 days saleable retail at 10 C in terms of % water lost. Saleability cut-off point at 2%. No bag = control; PenPack = industry standard macro perforated lug liner. Bars indicate ± S.E. of the mean for 4 replicates of 3 heads each (n=12).
Storability Maximum storage + 3 days Shelf life 12.5 C not recommended
Colour Score : 7.5 C Colour score (% yellowing) 100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 C E SF SF+E PenPack C E Packaging type SF SF+E No bag C (9+3d SL) E (9+3d SL) SF (9+3d SL) SF+E (9+3dSL) C (14+3d SL) E (14+3d SL) SF (14+3d SL) SF+E (14+3d SL) Maximum storage duration of Parthenon broccoli at 0 C allowing for 3 days saleable retail at 10 C in terms of % yellowing. Saleability cut-off point at 25% yellowing. No bag = control; PenPack = industry standard macro perforated lug liner. Bars indicate ± S.E. of the mean for 4 replicates of 3 heads each (n=12)
Colour Score : 7.5 C SmartFresh Inhibits yellowing C SF E SF+E C SF E SF+E 9 days at 7.5 C + 3 days ambient 14 days at 7.5 C + 3 days ambient All PenPack broccoli
Accumulated Water Loss: 7.5 C 20 water loss (%) 15 10 5 PP (9+3d SL) PP (14+3d SL) NB (9+3d SL) NB (14+3d SL) 0 Control Ethylene SmartFresh SF+E Chemical treatment and packaging Maximum storage duration of Parthenon broccoli at 7.5 C allowing for 3 days saleable retail at 10 C in terms of % water losr. Saleability cut-off point at 2%. No bag = control; PenPack = industry standard macro perforated lug liner. Bars indicate ± S.E. of the mean for 4 replicates of 3 heads each (n=12).
Storability Maximum storage + 3 days Shelf life Mixed load simulation = 9 days at 7.5 C with SmartFresh
Colour Score : 0 C Colour score (% yellowing) 100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Control Ethylene SmartFresh SF+E No Bag (13+3d SL) PenPack (13+3d SL) No Bag (20+3d SL) PenPack (20+3d SL) No Bag (23+3d SL) PenPack (23+3d SL) No Bag (32+3d SL) PenPack (32+3d SL) Treatment and Packaging type Maximum storage duration of Parthenon broccoli at 0 C allowing for 3 days saleable retail at 10 C in terms of % yellowing. Saleability cut-off point at 25% yellowing. No bag = control; PenPack = industry standard macro perforated lug liner. Bars indicate ± S.E. of the mean for 4 replicates of 3 heads each (n=12).
Accumulated Water Loss: 0 C 35 Colour score (% yellowing) 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Control Ethylene SmartFresh SF+E PP (13+3d SL) PP (20+3d SL) PP (24+3d SL) PP (27+3d SL) NB (13+3d SL) NB (20+3d SL) NB (24+3d SL) NB (27+3d SL) Packaging type Maximum storage duration of Parthenon broccoli at 0 C allowing for 3 days saleable retail at 10 C in terms of % water lost. Saleability cut-off point at 2%. No bag = control; PenPack = industry standard macro perforated lug liner. Bars indicate ± S.E. of the mean for 4 replicates of 3 heads each (n=12).
Storability Maximum storage + 3 days Shelf life No Packaging: < 2 days due to water loss With Packaging: 20 days during mixed and non-mixed load simulation when SmartFresh is applied
Conclusion Mixed loads and unfavourable temperatures common in cold chain = reduced shelf life and quality SmartFresh and Packaging = Buffers SF limits rate of colour change Packaging limits water loss Extend storability and quality = reduce losses in store / increase food quality
Creating HOPE with quality 1. Potential African markets open up Store at 0 C with SmartFresh and Packaging > 20 days still saleable Provide product to areas of low production (too hot) Provide people in Africa with nutritious product 2. Extend season in times of excess Still maintain quality, healthy product 3. Positive for DC s Store products at 7.5 C with SmartFresh and Packaging Reduce electricity (carbon foot print) by storing at higher temperature Mixed loads not a problem any more 4. Senesce and water loss = nutri onal value SmartFresh and Packaging aid in nutritional maintenance moisture protect the ascorbic acid (Vit. C)
THANK YOU
CONTACT DETAILS Tarryn de Beer Email: tarryndebeer@hotmail.com Cell: 072 738 9414 Dr Elke Crouch Email: elke@sun.ac.za Tell: 021 808 4763 Cell: 082 577 9594