Bio Fruit Monitor project launched: smarter storage improves supply reliability organic fruit

How can the quality of organic fruit be better monitored during storage, so that adjustments can be made at the right time and waste can be prevented? This question is at the heart of the new Bio Fruit Monitor project, which was officially launched on 16 June in Geldermalsen. As part of this two-year project, Storex, BioMasters, Boomgaard Loverendale Ter Linde and Wageningen Research are pooling their expertise to improve the storage stability of organic apples and pears.

During storage, fruit produces volatile compounds. Monitoring the levels of these compounds provides information about the quality of the fruit. This information makes it possible to take timely action. For example, a decision can be made to sell a batch of fruit earlier, before any loss of quality or spoilage occurs. Storage conditions can also be adjusted to maintain quality for longer. In this way, the project contributes to greater supply security, a longer sales window for organic fruit and less food waste. With this innovative approach, the project partners aim to further strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the organic fruit sector. The Bio Fruit Monitor project will run for two years and is funded by the province of Zeeland and the European Union.

Peter Balk: peter.balk@wur.nl