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BIONÆR-Bionæringsprogram

Teknologiske løsninger for optimal håndtering av frukt

Alternative title: Technological solutions for optimal handling of fruit

Awarded: NOK 4.6 mill.

It is both politically and market-wise desirable to extend the season and increase the proportion of Norwegian fruit, but this requires high quality and optimal handling. All Norwegian fruit packinghouses want to contribute to the building and dissemination of knowledge needed to optimize the handling of fruit, especially apples. As an addition to the competence and collaboration project Eple-Handling, research will be conducted on interactions between technical, physical and biological factors. These will together contribute to a knowledge-based improvement at all fruit packinghouses. In the project, competence transfer to the fruit packinghouses is central in order to be able to utilize and implement the results for optimized packinghouse management and control. The specific technical goals are optimization of the current packinghouses, clarifying the need for upgrading, as well as design of the environmentally friendly refrigeration technical solutions of the future. Traditional refrigerants are being phased out due to high climate impact, and environmentally friendly and energy-efficient systems must be implemented. Air circulation and -distribution is essential to ensure optimal cooling of products and to prevent accumulation of unwanted gasses like CO2 and ethylene, which have negative effect on fruit quality. Air temperature, relative humidity, -velocity and -distribution will be measured, in addition to ethylene concentration. Quantities of the ripening hormone ethylene in storage rooms must be examined and possible measures tested. The durability (quality, damage and rot) of the fruit in different strategies for the use of storage rooms must be investigated and how these factors are related. Economic aspects of the various strategies and storage times will be clarified. FruktKlima will be a contribution from the fruit industry for reduced greenhouse gas emissions, higher yields, increased Norwegian share of fruit market, and reduced food waste. Technical status in 2020 was performed in Eple-Handling (project 302722), but because of low amount of fruit it was needed to assess again in 2021. Preliminary results indicate a higher load on the cooling machines in 2021, and that the capasity was not alwayes high enough at the time point of placing a lot of fruit at the cold rooms at the same time. Suggestions for improvements from the 2020 season, e.g. air distribution and defrosting were implemented and caused changes already before the 2021-season. Season variation will be investigated in the coming years. Physical status in 2021 had particular focus on new CO2-storages. Reasons for high ethylene levels are beiing investigated in directed experiments with different cultivars and ripening degrees. Experiments has shown cultivar differences, and differences due to filling of the rooms. The effect of ethylene levels and periods of higher temperature on fruit quality/storability were tested by placing fruit from different packinghouses at simulated sale conditions. Results are in progress. In 2021 it was a higher fruit volume, a longer sale and storage period, and developed more physiological disorders than in 2020. The season conditions with dry and warm weather caused problems with getting enough calcium into the fruit. The result was calcium deficiency in some cultivars and orchards, and it was expected a possible poorer storage quality. Improvement points will be commuicated to the packinghouses before next season.

Det er både politisk og markedsmessig ønskelig å utvide sesongen og øke andelen av norsk frukt, men dette krever høy kvalitet og optimal håndtering. Alle norske fruktlager ønsker å bidra til at det blir bygget og formidlet kunnskap som trengs for å optimalisere håndteringen av frukt, spesielt eple. Som et tillegg til kompetanse- og samarbeidsprosjektet Eple-Handling skal det forskes på sammenhenger mellom tekniske, fysiske og biologiske faktorer. Disse skal sammen bidra til en kunnskapsbasert forbedring ved alle fruktlager. I prosjektet¬ er kompetanse-¬overføring til fruktlagrene sentralt for å kunne utnytte og implementere resultatene for optimalisert lagerstyring og kontroll. De spesifikke tekniske målene er optimalisering av dagens lager, avklare behov for oppgradering, samt design av framtidens miljøvennlige kjøle-tekniske løsninger. Tradisjonelle kuldemedium fases ut på grunn av høy klimabelastning, og miljøvennlige og energieffektive systemer må implementeres. Luftsirkulasjon og –fordeling i lager er viktig med hensyn til kontroll av temperatur, fuktighet og gasskonsentrasjoner som CO2 og etylen. Mengder av modningshormonet etylen i lagerrom skal undersøkes og mulig tiltak skal prøves ut. Hvilken holdbarhet (kvalitet, skade og råte) frukten har ved ulike strategier for bruk av lagerrom skal undersøkes og hvordan disse faktorene henger sammen. Økonomiske aspekter ved de ulike strategiene og lagringstidene vil bli klarlagt. FruktKlima vil være et bidrag fra fruktnæringen for reduserte klimagassutslipp, i tillegg til å øke utbyttet, øke norskandel frukt, og redusere matsvinn.

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Funding scheme:

BIONÆR-Bionæringsprogram