New disinfestation technology goes international

New disinfestation technology goes international

Bananas imported into New Zealand from the Philippines will soon be treated, before shipping, with a system kinder on the environment thanks to technology developed by Crop & Food Research and BOC for Dole Asia.

The disinfestation technology developed in New Zealand will be introduced by Dole to its operations around the world.

Steve Barton, NZ Manager for Dole Asia, says by September, bananas on sale in New Zealand, and elsewhere in Asia, will have been treated with this new technology.

“Commercial-scale trials of the new technology, to rid the bananas of tropical pests, have been successful,” he says. “As soon as the company making the equipment, to deliver the treatment to the bananas, can supply us we can introduce the technology.”

Dole plans to introduce the technology first in the Philippines, where bananas for New Zealand are sourced, then roll it out around the world.

Hari Krishna, of Crop & Food Research, developed the new application technology working closely with Robert Ryan of BOC (The Linde Group). He says the project moves to find safer, treatments to kill insects on fresh produce with less impact on the environment and the produce.

“This technology has huge international potential,” says Dr Krishna. “Variations of it can be used in the fresh produce and flower industries wherever in the world countries are looking to protect their borders from foreign pests.”

BOC provided a newly formulated Envirosol® product, VAPORMATE® for the trials. Together, BOC and Crop & Food Research developed a system to apply the product effectively. VAPORMATE®’s active ingredient, ethyl formate, is a naturally occurring compound that is dissolved in liquid carbon dioxide within cylinders. Ethyl formate is also used to treat cereals and some dried fruits and nuts.

Mr Barton says while the overall costs of the new technology exceed current fumigation costs there are several advantages.

Currently, banana shipments arriving in New Zealand are frequently fumigated to kill tropical pests to meet quarantine regulations. The fumigation method requires the bananas to be heated to 18*C and this shortens their shelf-life by three days.

Dole Asia, BOC and Crop & Food Research continue to work together to develop more environmentally-friendly technologies to disinfest fresh produce and so help protect countries, including New Zealand, from unwanted pests.

ENDS

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