Ripening improves fruit sales, making safety a priority while applying ethylene

It is no longer a secret that consumers are more likely to buy ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables versus unripe. Fruit at the ideal ripening stage sells 25-30% more than hard, green fruit. Retailers worldwide ripen fruit via ethylene application to increase sales and improve overall taste. This process works well for bananas, mangoes, avocados, pears, persimmons, kiwis, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables.

Ethylene is important for all ripening facilities but can be highly explosive. Therefore, ethylene must be treated with caution. If safety precautions are ignored, the potential for a massive explosion will exist.  A simple spark will ignite ethylene at 27,000 ppm and cause a deadly explosion.

U.S. based Catalytic Generators offers an entire section of website dedicated to the ethylene explosions. “While ethylene can be dangerous,  it is not possible to exceed the explosive point while using our products as directed. Our ethylene generators and Ethy-Gen® II Ripening Concentrate form a system that produces low and safe concentrations (less than 1,000 ppm) of ethylene required for ripening,” – explains Greg Akins, President & CEO.

The company positions themselves as the safest commercial form of ripening. Their ethylene generators repeatedly produce small amounts of ethylene, directly in the ripening room.  While ethylene sensors and controllers can be used with their system, the stable ethylene production of the generators allow ripeners to consistently trust the ethylene production of the units, and many facilities use the generators as stand-alone equipment.

Akins adds that safety and reliability are the reasons why many fresh produce companies use their generators rather than other ethylene systems. “We have had our system thoroughly tested for maximum ethylene production. Unlike some other systems, there is no chance of ethylene explosion, no risk to property or personnel with the products of Catalytic Generators”.

For fruit specific information, check Ripening tips for different fruit and vegetables.


Contact:
Greg Akins
+1-757-855-0191
info@catalyticgenerators.com