CITROSOL exhibits their postharvest green alternatives from Cyprus to Zaragoza

Our roadmap has been set out and named, ‘From the farm to the table’, and includes dates and percentages for the reduction in the use of active ingredients starting at the agricultural source and following the sales chain across the Continent of Europe. To these ends, CITROSOL has taken an active role, presenting, participating in round tables and sponsoring two outstanding sectoral events, the XIII National Congress and XI Iberian Ripening and Postharvest Congresses in Zaragoza and the VI International Symposium on Postharvest Pathology in Cyprus. Zaragoza CongressAt the assembly held in Aragón, which took place over four intense days in Zaragoza, the researcher from the National Center for Food Technology and Safety (CNTA in Spain), Eva Petri, presented the results of an important project on which CITROSOL has been working together with the CNTA and the German company, Kronen, known as the Aquafresh project. Citrocide® Fresh-Cut system was born as a result of our work and presented at the Congress arousing great expectations within the sector. Through Citrocide® Fresh-Cut, this international research project has made it possible, from both a technical and economic point of view, to develop a viable alternative system to chlorinated disinfection in the Fresh-Cut and Minimally Processed industry. Our system presented to trade professionals in Zaragoza is innovative in its food safety, efficiency and industrial application. Citrocide® Fresh-Cut guarantees effective, hygienic, wash water, avoids cross-contamination and does not generate harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs). This alternative for the minimally processed food washer is more efficient as it reduces water and energy consumption; and also reduces industrial variability, so that which is effective in the laboratory is replicated without error at an industrial scale with real-time monitoring and control of the entire washing process. “This summarizes the benefits of the innovative CITROSOL / Kronen system for hygienic washing of fresh-cut and minimally processed produce”, stated Martín Mottura, Precision Postharvest manager of the Valencian company, during his presentation. Cyprus SymposiumThis event brought together the world’s leading experts in postharvest pathology with technical conferences and round tables designed to bring the best and most appropriate postharvest solutions to market in the shortest possible time. Among these solutions, Javier Parra, director of R&D+i at CITROSOL, introduced Greencide®, an alternative to synthetic fungicides, designed by CITROSOL: “There is enormous interest in developing alternative tools, both due to the growing demand of the market (distributors, retailers and consumers) of residue-free fruit and organic produce, as well as for meeting the European Commission’s objective of halving the use of chemical pesticides before 2030. A large number of papers presented at the symposium focused on this matter, putting alternatives forward such as physical methods, biological control, use of products of natural origin, use of biostimulants in the pre-harvest stage to achieve post-harvest effects, etc.”. In Greencide®, CITROSOL have developed an alternative plant-based treatment, pending registration in Spain, with a very high efficacy in controlling decay in citrus fruit, even during long periods of storage and transport. This innovative plant-based product achieves the same efficacy, and maintains it over extended periods, as Imazalil, the current fungicide of reference. “Furthermore, the mixture of Greencide® with Citrocide® Plus, our certified peroxyacetic formulation for organic production, also demonstrated excellent results. This mixture is completely reusable during the continuous treatment of the fruit, due to the strong disinfecting effect of Citrocide®, which helps reduce water consumption and waste generation”, Javier Parra added during his presentation. These treatments are effective on all types of citrus fruits and varieties tested, such as Orogrande and Okitsu mandarins, Verna and Fino lemons, and Valencia and Navel oranges.