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A new product developed by U.S.-based Pace International enables users to improve pathogen control on their kiwifruit and pome fruit while also reducing water usage during postharvest.

Proper management of fresh fruit during the period is essential for it to be exported to the most demanding markets and pass phytosanitary inspections upon entry.

It is for this reason that Pace International has developed solutions focused on controlling pathogens and avoiding fruit damage. The company's marketing director Jorge Gotuzzo said that products like ecoFOG offer effective, clean and sustainable solutions for postharvest management. 

Gotuzzo explained that the industry had previously been dominated by the Drencher system, which applies fungicides by showers the trucks carrying the fruit they receive from the packhouse. However, he said this system "risks cross-contamination by constantly reusing water, since certain pathological agents can survive in it." 

By using an efficient thermofogging technology, ecoFOG controls postharvest rotting in kiwifruit, pome fruit and plums, eliminating the use of water and allowing for a more sustainable way of protecting the fruit.

The system consists of a fine mist that covers the fruit in the storage chamber, which acts as a substitute to the Drencher process and avoids the high costs of eliminating residual waste.

"One of the great advantages is that the trucks enter the packhouses to fill the chambers directly, and so the fruit need not be exposed to the sun while it waits its turn for the shower," Gotuzzo said.

In 2018, Pace International, is offering the Chilean market the recently released eFOG 80 FCL (Fludioxonil), a thermoformable solution for pome fruit and kiwifruit which enables good management of resistance in the fruit by alternating annually between Pirimetanil and Fludioxonil. It also provides a great alternative to processes which result in the fruit getting wet.

Kiwifruit is one commodity in particular that can benefit hugely from the technology. According to a study carried out by the University of Talca in southern Chile, application of the eFOG 80 FDL reduced rotting in kiwifruit by 58% on fruit that was in storage for five months. For fruit that was in storage for four months and subjected to an additional 14 days of ambient temperature, rotting was reduced by 89%.

Rapid and efficient application

The ecoFOG is applied through thermofogging equipment that does not produce fruit-damaging combustible gases. Pace International offers an integrated service for its postharvest solutions including mobile application units calls Trailer ecoFOG, which apply the product directly into the storage chamber as required.

Gotuzzo explained that for this service, the client should coordinate a visit with Pace International so that one of the mobile units that are available around the country can be delivered to the packhouse.

"The application procedure takes approximately two hours to carry out, and Pace International will advise the client while they are using the product, as well as for the whole period that the fruit remains in the storage chambers," he said.

The product can also be reapplied to the fruit if necessary, he added.

The representative went on to say that the thermofogging system uses a spray device that maintains an independent power supply so it can be operated without the need for additional connections. Patented PROCLEAN technology is also used to filter the air that is expelled after the ecoFOG is applied, offering a clean and eco-friendly operation.

Pace International offers effective postharvest solutions that are both ecological and sustainable, advising its clients during the entire process and achieving clear results in terms of pathogen control while also requiring minimal resources and time.

For more information on ecoFOG®:

PACE International

www.paceint.com

E-mail: ecoFOG@paceint.cl

Telephone: +56 9 9701 9750

www.freshfruitportal.com