Tracking fresh produce to maximise shelf life

What if a tracking system could let you know when a shipment of fresh fruit and vegetables is close to expiration while also providing the freshest possible products to the consumer? Such a system could soon be a reality, thanks to research from the University of Florida (UF).

UF’s Jeffrey Brecht led a team that followed strawberries from harvest in Florida and California through to stores in Illinois, Washington, Alabama and South Carolina.

The team placed two RFID devices into each pallet of strawberries as they were picked. The devices tracked the strawberries’ temperature from the field, through pre-cooling and into trucks, to distribution centres and then stores.

The researchers theorised that, by gathering information about the quality of the produce and the temperatures to which it has been exposed, distributors will know which produce needs to be delivered first.

The food distribution industry generally operates on the theory of ‘first in, first out’ (known as FIFO). The researchers found that a better system would be FEFO, or ‘first expired, first out’, when dealing with delicate fruits and vegetables.

While companies usually measure the temperature of an entire truck, the temperature of individual pallets can vary greatly. The time of day the berries were picked and even their placement on the truck can influence quality - for instance, strawberries picked in cooler morning temperatures are likely to stay fresher for longer than strawberries picked in the afternoon heat.

“If you improve the efficiency of post-harvest handling, you reduce waste and losses and that improves sustainability,” Brecht said.

“Because, of course, if you ship something to market that’s not going to end up being eaten by consumers, every single bit of input in growing it, harvesting, packing, cooling, shipping - everything is wasted.”

Brecht is director of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ Center for Food Distribution and Retailing. He delivered a presentation on his findings at the International Horticultural Congress, which was held in Brisbane from 17 to 22 August.