Businesses put a priority on fruit preservation technologies

Businesses are increasingly investing in pre-processing and preservation of fruits due to the significant impact on the goods' quality and appearance prior to delivery to consumers.

The post-harvest preservation stage for fruit in our country is still weak and insufficient, causing many limitations in storing and exporting. Photo: TL.

The critical significance of freezing technology in preservation

Postharvest preservation is a critical stage in ensuring the quality and safety of Vietnamese fruits until they are delivered to consumers. Almost all fruit exporting companies now use cutting-edge technology to improve product preservation and prevent residues from preservative chemicals.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Phong, Deputy Head of the Department of Biotechnology, Physiology, and Postharvest Technology at the Southern Fruit Institute, recent improvements in factory construction have aided in the preservation and preparation of packed fruit to minimize loss.

The extensive automated washing system and cold storage area allow for the cooling and storage of goods. Businesses may obtain preserved packaging materials at a reasonable price.

On durian fruit, the majority of companies have converted to cold storage for both unsplit and split durian fruits, thus eliminating the issue of food insecurity caused by chemicals.

Effective cold preservation technology accounts for up to 80% of the success of product preservation. As a result, the majority of exporters have cold storage. Goods that cannot be sealed properly should be chilled prior to storage. Additionally, cooling the fruit before loading it into the vehicle helps preserve it better.

Additionally, Dr. Nguyen Van Phong asserts that the use of many advancements in post-harvest preservation, usually via refrigeration and freezing technologies, not only aids in the preservation of fruit quality and freshness, but also maintains fruit quality and freshness. Additionally, it significantly lowers the danger of infection with pathogenic organisms, fungus, food insecurity, and pesticide residues as a result of the preservatives used.

For instance, on the left longan, sulfur fumigation is often used to cure and preserve. Currently, the Institute is studying cold preservation technique to approximately 1 degree Celsius in order to decrease sulfur levels while maintaining the fruit's freshness; even after 1-2 weeks on the market, the fruit remains as fresh as when it was newly picked.

Cold storage that is both smart and large-scale

Additionally, according to Dr. Phong, companies place a high premium on post-harvest preservation methods. At the moment, contemporary preservation storage that operates on an AC model is preferred because it enables precise control of the air composition, humidity, and temperature inside the store.

This model is being invested in by a company in Long An province's Thu Thuan district, where it has been finished to 90% and is ready to be put into service. The 4,000-ton storage facility is mostly used for cold storage and is unsuitable for stocking.

While conventional storage controls just the temperature, this kind of smart storage may also regulate the composition of the air. For instance, it is feasible to significantly decrease the oxygen concentration of the warehouse. At that point, it is possible to eradicate any insects still clinging to the fruit. Additionally, while keeping fruit, keep the warehouse's oxygen level between 5% and 6% to promote fruit ripening and preservation.

Previously, Vietnam lacked a comparable cold storage facility equipped with smart preservation technologies.

Preservation technology is becoming more critical

Ms. Ngo Tuong Vy, Deputy Director of Chanh Thu Fruit Import Export Co., Ltd (Chanh Thu, Cho Lach district, Ben Tre province), said that the business has partnered with farmers to develop a specialized fruit producing region. From planting to harvesting, cultivation plants adhere to strict requirements and guarantee the highest possible level of food cleanliness and safety.

Additionally, the business has a packaging plant that adheres to VietGAP, GlobalGAP, American, Australian, and New Zealand standards. The company's goods are all registered trademarks with barcodes, accredited to ISO 9001:2008, quality supplier certification number 0029-TQS-2012, and approved for food hygiene and safety...

Chanh Thu is also enhancing its technical capabilities in the areas of packing, handling, and post-harvest preservation in order to enhance capacity and product quality.

Additionally, Chanh Thu is concentrating its efforts on developing standard durian producing regions in the Eastern provinces, Central Highlands, and Mekong Delta, with the goal of developing durian into the country's staple fruit (5-star OCOP product) for export to a variety of countries. As a result, businesses are particularly interested in the technique for freezing durian fruit, which enables the product to be stored for an extended period of time while maintaining its quality and food safety.

And heat treatment with a water heater helps eliminate many bugs and illnesses that are still attached to the fruit and preserves it for longer, particularly during the wet season when the fruit is not waterlogged. Thus preventing the fruit from becoming entangled during the quarantine period.

Mr. Doan Van Sang founded Cat Tuong Agricultural Goods Processing Factory (My Tho City, Tien Giang Province) in 2015 in response to worries about how to export Vietnamese fruit products.

Additionally, the business invested in a standard packaging factory, a contemporary cool storage system with a capacity of about 2,000 tons, and a hot steam treatment unit for fresh fruit to satisfy market and consumer demands.

The fruit packaging facility has been certified by US authorities to fulfill the export market for fresh fruits to nations such as the United States, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and China, among others.

To diversify its raw material supply, Cat Tuong Company collaborates with cooperatives located inside and beyond Tien Giang province that are involved in the value chain of Vietnamese agricultural goods. At the moment, vegetables and fruits connected with Cat Tuong Company are cultivated according to technical standards and subjected to stringent quality control, guaranteeing enough production for local consumption and export markets.

Mr. Doan Van Sang, General Director of Cat Tuong Company, stated: "Over the last decade, Cat Tuong, farmers, and partners have worked to establish a sustainable and secure value chain." Businesses are forced to adapt in order to survive as technology advances.