Instruments for gas analysis help to increase profits, reduce spoilage and extend shelf life

Netherlands

Tuesday 10 November 2020

VU | The Ethylene Company / Fresh Produce Instruments

These small portable instruments present a complex technology to provide accurate data collection and analysis to monitor and control gas levels.

Fresh Produce Instruments exists to help the fresh produce industry monitor, maintain, and improve the quality of their fresh produce by the sale and service of technical instruments aimed at addressing the measurement and control of parameters that dictate quality.

They offer several small portable instruments which present a complex technology to provide accurate data collection and analysis to monitor and control gas levels.

Gas analysis of closed environments is vital in the production of vegetables and fruits during many stages of the supply chain to increase shelf-life and prevent spoilage.

Three gases, oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ethylene (C2H4) are involved in crucial physiological processes. Tracking gas concentrations to maintain them at optimum levels boosts crop growth, product yield, and quality, as well as extends post-harvest storage. The critical level for each gas varies based on their respective roles at different stages of the supply chain.

Gas Analysis Devices

There are many precision instruments supplied by Fresh Produce Instruments which are designed to suit supply chain needs. In all the devices, levels of O2 and CO2 are measured from 0-100%. It is the range of ethylene and its measurement resolution that differs between the tools based on their intended function. Four of these tools are:

F-940 Store it! Gas Analyzer – For use during storage. Measured ethylene range, from 0-10 ppm.

F-950 Three Gas Analyzer – For use throughout the supply chain. Measured ethylene range, from 0-200 ppm.

F-960 Ripen it! Gas Analyzer – For use within or outside the ripening room. Measured ethylene range, from 0-1000 ppm.

F-920 Check it! Gas Analyzer – Measures O2 and CO2 and is useful for pre-harvest operations, analysis of headspace, and Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP).

These tools from Felix Instruments measure gases simultaneously, making the task of monitoring and controlling gas levels hassle-free. The devices are rapid and user-friendly, requiring little to no training to use.