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17 September 1998 |
Ref 98/219 |
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Fresh Australian fruit is to receive a high technology boost with the launch of "Food into Asia", a project to ensure it arrives in peak condition for customers in Asia and worldwide.
The project has been launched by Food Science Australia and the Australian Fresh Fruit Company (AFFCO) working with leading shipping company OOCL, packaging firm Visy Board and the Institute for Horticultural Development (IHD) Knoxfield.
The "Food into Asia" project is developing methods to ensure our apples, pears and stonefruit arrive with a more consistent quality than anything yet achieved by our competitors - New Zealand, Chile, South Africa and the US.
It will enable exporters to fine-tune conditions in 40-foot shipping containers with such precision as to suit different kinds of fruit, different markets and different times of year.
The technology will also put Australian fresh produce exporters in a prime position to capture new world markets, as bans on chemicals used to control insect pests in fruit shipments are imposed by importing countries, says project leader Dr Nevin Amos.
OOCL are involved in this project as they ship significant quantities of AFFCO member's produce, they are an innovative company and they have reliable vessel schedules into our main export markets. (Examples of previous OOCL innovation include shipping BMW car parts around the world to test rust prevention compounds and using bamboo as container flooring instead of timber to save trees.)
OOCL are providing refrigerated shipping containers for testing within Food Science Australia's Container Test Facility, in Sydney, and for trial export shipments.
Leading innovator in flexible packaging, Visy Board, are providing test cartons and will undertake mechanical strength tests in their new multi-million dollar paper and packaging technology centre.
AFFCO estimates that members of its network currently ship around $60 million worth of fresh apples, pears and stone fruit a year. Over the coming three years the company projects that exports will grow by 33 per cent.
"Australia's great range of climates and conditions means we can produce a wide range of quality fruit over a long period," says AFFCO's Mr Andrew Dick.
"Through AFFCO we can now pool the expertise of leading growers, packagers, shippers and researchers to see our fruit reaches our customers in the best possible condition.
"The key to success is customer confidence that Australia can deliver even product quality over an extended period and deliver product precisely at the time it is wanted. That's what this project is all about."
Dr Amos says that the refrigeration unit of containers can deliver air at precise conditions. By the time the air is distributed through the container, however, the palletised fresh produce can experience highly variable conditions during the voyage to markets. Parts of the container may be cool while others are warm. Airflow and controlled atmospheres may be uneven. All of these affect the quality and consistency of the product on delivery.
"We're exploring new ways to ensure that airflow and temperature surrounding the fruit are far more uniform and closer to the ideal," he says. "This applies whether the product is shipped in air, a modified atmosphere or a controlled atmosphere."
"We're also working on an array of smart technologies that will ensure perishable produce remains acceptable to the consumer even in hot climates in collaboration with scientist Ian Wilkinson at IHD Knoxfield."
Dr Amos says the research will provide a wealth of data that will enable exporters to select precise conditions inside the container to suit different kinds of fruit, particular market preferences and certain climates or times of year.
The initial trials will be carried out on consignments of Australia's famous "Pink Lady" apples, going to Asian and the UK market, and adapted for other apples, for pears and for stone fruit.
The research is also expected to deliver a bonus that could see Australian fresh exports snatch a world hygiene lead into Asian markets.
"At present a number of countries are conducting research into non-chemical means to disinfest fruit imports from insect pests. Following completion of these studies there will be a rush to non-chemical ways to control pests, including cold or cold combined with controlled atmospheres", Dr Amos explains.
"But current pest control protocols are very strict, and it is extremely hard to achieve uniform control in a 40-foot container.
"Food into Asia will give Australian exporters the technology to control pests effectively in-transit using these modern, non-chemical methods - and meet the standards required by the strictest importers, such as Japan and Taiwan."
The $1m 'Food into Asia' project is expected to deliver results to fruit exporters over the next three years
Food Science Australia is Australia's largest food research
organisation, and is a joint venture between CSIRO and the Australian
Food Industry Science Centre (AFISC).
More information from:
- Dr Nevin Amos, Food Science Australia 02 9490 8472
Dr Alister Sharp, Food Science Australia 02 9490 8342
Mr Andrew Dick, AFFCO 03 5426 3311
Email: Nevin.Amos@foodscience.afisc.csiro.au
(Australia's largest scientific research organisation)
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