Uflex partners with Dutch firm Perfotec to extend shelf life of papaya

Perfotec and Uflex have been working with fresh produce growers to maximise shelf life using active modified atmosphere packaging (AMAP) solution. The solutions deliver the best quality produce to the markets with possibility of moving away from air shipments and switching to sea shipments there by improving availability and also ensuring continuity in the supply chain making the product affordable for the consumers by cutting on expensive air freight simultaneously reducing the wastage.

Perfotec and Uflex jointly performed trials in India as well as Holland with leading growers and importers to determine the possible shelf life extension solution for papaya.

“Trials were conducted with Flexfresh liner bags (of Uflex) in open top corrugated boxes. Product was packed in semi ripe condition in warm condition in the liner bags and were hermetically closed and moved to the cold store. By using Flexfresh liner bags the product remains dry and registers a very low weight loss, due to the hydrated environment inside the bag. Flexfresh does not allow condensation due to its unique proprietary formulation giving a major relief to exporters against bacterial and fungal infections. With the biodegradability of the liner bag, it is a perfect sustainable solution,” explained N Siva Shankaran, vice president - Flexfresh, Uflex.

Ashok Chaturvedi, chairman and managing director, Uflex Ltd, said, “The major benefit of using the Flexfresh liner bags is the possibility of having an elevated carbon dioxide level which prevented yellowing of the fruit and maintained firmness to the fruit quality. Growers can attain a shelf life of 30 days for papaya using the Flexfresh liner bags.”

Bas Groeneweg, director, Perfotec BV, informed, “With the health benefits of Papaya, Flexfresh liner bags will deliver good quality fruit around the year. With major health benefits of papaya, we should see more imports in to Europe.”