Que : What is Smart Fresh?
Ans : Smart Fresh post-harvest technology slows the natural fruit-ripening process, extending the quality of fruit from the time it is picked to when it is sold in the store. It is part of the fruit quality management program from Agro Fresh.

Que : What is the history of Smart Fresh technology?
Ans : The science behind Smart Fresh resulted from research done in the mid-1990s at North Carolina State University (United States) to study the naturally occurring plant substance ethylene and how it affected the ripening process in fruit. During their work, researchers discovered 1-MCP, the active ingredient in Smart Fresh technology.

Que : How does Smart Fresh work?
Ans :
 Smart Fresh protects the just-picked quality of apples by temporarily slowing down the ripening process. It works by blocking the naturally occurring ethylene receptors, thus, preventing ethylene from degrading the fruit.  Apples naturally produce ethylene. Ethylene is responsible for the ripening process that makes apples (and other fruit varieties) change color and develop flavor, but is also responsible for aging the fruit and causing the fruit to soften, become mealy and rot.

Que : Why is Smart Fresh used with apples?
Ans : After apples are picked, most are placed in storage before they are sold at the store. Apple growers use Smart Fresh to maintain the color, taste and crispness of apples from just after they are picked until they are eaten. This allows for more locally grown apples to be in the store throughout the year, decreases the number of apples thrown away and reduces carbon footprint since less energy input is required during storage.

Que : What is post harvest loss?

Ans : We all know that after harvest, the food commodities, should be consumed immediately or should be processed and stored for further consumption. If there is any delay in processing / mishandling could lead to huge loss of the harvested produce and it is termed as post harvest loss. The post harvest loss is accounted in the order of     10-20% for durable commodities (cereals, pulses, etc.,) and 20-40% for perishable commodities (fruits & vegetables) annually.

Que : Why storage is important?

Ans : Agricultural produces are to be stored from the harvest to next to safeguard against a following crop of low yield or poor quality, against speculation in price, market demand, and against shortage or famines.

Que : What is meant by cold storage?

Ans : It is the low temperature storage in the range of 0-10°C recommended for perishable food products. By properly maintaining the low temperature and relative humidity, the fresh quality of the fruits and vegetables can be extended by reducing respiration rate of living tissues even up to one year using cold storage.

Que : How to preserve sugarcane juice?

Ans : Sugarcane juice can be preserved for six months after thermal processing.