To combat food waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, U.S. tech companies are using science and preservation technology to extend the freshness lifetime of produce.


Bright red apples, sweet and refreshing. The orchard in Michigan, USA picks nearly 3 million kilograms of apples every fall. In order to allow customers to eat fresh apples all year round, they partnered with an agricultural technology company and used a small bag to ensure the freshness of the apples.


"What we're doing is developing packaging materials or other technologies that can take advantage of the basic chemical components of the fruit and extend the freshness lifetime of the fruit," said Flynn, the founder of the agricultural technology company.


The company is also using technology to regulate the storage environment of the fruit, including controlling the temperature and air composition in the room.


To inhibit the hormone ethylene produced by fruit and delay the speed of fruit ripening. As agricultural product preservation technology is a still developing industry, many technologies are still in their infancy.


A company has created a patch that, in addition to controlling moisture, also wards off bacteria. There are also companies developing a plant-based coating that is applied to the skin of inedible fruit to extend freshness lifetime.


How to keep fruits fresh for a long time, these methods are worth a try.


1. For fruits with a relatively short freshness lifetime and easy to deteriorate, physical cooling can be used to extend their freshness lifetime, such as lychee, bayberry, etc., which can be stored in a freezer at low temperatures to achieve their freshness.


2. For fruits that are afraid of cold and air in life, they cannot be stored in a low-temperature environment, such as bananas and so on.


This kind of fruit is easy to turn black in the refrigerator. We can wrap it in a fresh-keeping bag, put it in a carton, and put the box in a cool and ventilated place so that it can be stored for a long time. You can also wrap the root of the banana with plastic wrap and store it in a cool place, or hang it with a rope, which can also be stored for a few days.


3. The method of using plastic wrap is very helpful for storing fruits. You only need to wrap the fruits with plastic wraps, such as small tomatoes, strawberries, etc. It is worth noting that if there are rotten fruits inside, they should be picked out in time. If the spoiled fruits are not picked out, it is easy to rot the surrounding fruits, so everyone must pay attention to this.


How long is the freshness lifetime of various fruits?


Apples generally take about 15 days in winter, and it is best to solve them within 5 days in summer. If this time is exceeded, it will lose its original taste.


Without any fresh-keeping measures, the fresh-keeping period of peaches is generally 2-3 days, which is relatively short.


The freshness period of pears is generally between 7-15 days, but it is best to eat them within a week. After a week, not only will a lot of water be lost, but the taste will not be as sweet and crisp as before.


Bananas generally have a freshness lifetime of 3-4 days. The freshness lifetime of bananas is generally relatively short. It often starts to turn black after two or three days, and some parts will go bad, so bananas need to be eaten as soon as possible.


The freshness lifetime of cherries is generally 2-3 days. The fresher the cherries, the better the taste.


The freshness period of mango is only one week at most, as long as it is a little black, it cannot be eaten.


The freshness lifetime of strawberries is 1-2 days. Ultra-short freshness lifetime. So try to solve it on the day you buy it, otherwise, it will be wasted.