Strawberries Study

Full-Scale Laboratory Test of Strawberry Storage with Bluezone® Fresh Preservation Technology

Summary

In a ten day test, Bluezone control preserved nearly three times more edible strawberries than cold storage without Bluezone.

Objective

Quantify the benefit of Bluezone Fresh Preservation Technology to strawberry storage.

Methods and Materials

A pallet of strawberries was stored for 10 days in cold storage with air cleaned by Bluezone. A pallet of strawberries from the same supply was stored for 10 days in identical cold storage conditions without Bluezone. Strawberries in each store room were evaluated for mold, ripeness, and undesirable odors.

Results

Visible surface mold:

A comparison of berries on Day 1 and Day 10 shows no mold on berries stored in the Bluezone storage room and mold formation on berries stored without Bluezone to clean the air of mold spores.

Ripeness & Quality:

A detailed examination of all the fruit in both pallets revealed that less than 25% of the berries were edible in the pallet stored without Bluezone while greater than 60% of the berries were edible from the Bluezone storage room.

Gas Measurements & Odor:

Volatile Organic Compound concentration in the container with the Bluezone unit were held to less than 25% of the VOC levels in the container without the Bluezone unit. The odor in the non-Bluezone container was quite foul, while the smell in the Bluezone container was less intense and consistent with “strawberry” odor.

Conclusion:

Strawberries stored for 10 days under Bluezone control exhibited significantly less mold, less ripening, and less undesirable odor than strawberries from the same original pallet stored in an identical refrigerated chamber without the Bluezone Unit.