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The Produce Quality Centre (PQC) is playing a key role in advancing potato storage monitoring through its collaboration with Storage Control Systems Inc (SCS Inc) on the development of P-Pod technology.
Read more: Monitoring Potato Physiology in Commercial Stores Using P-Pod Technology
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What happens to a pear after it's picked? How does cold storage affect its texture, taste and shelf life? And what can the way it loses moisture tell us about the science of keeping fresh produce at its best? These are the kinds of questions that students from across NRI's postgraduate programmes are exploring first-hand at the Postharvest Quality Centre (PQC) - a specialist facility where the science of keeping fruit and vegetables fresh comes to life.
Read more: From Lecture Theatre to Laboratory: MSc Students Get Hands-On at the PQC
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The Produce Quality Centre (PQC) has launched a new collaborative project to improve the quality and storage life of Kent-grown cherries, working with industry partners across the supply chain.
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The Produce Quality Centre (PQC) is working with industry partners to develop advanced storage monitoring technology that improves understanding of how crops respond to storage conditions.
Read more: Monitoring potato physiology during storage using the P-Pod
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Delays in cooling strawberries after harvest can significantly reduce fruit quality and shelf life, particularly in warm conditions. The Produce Quality Centre (PQC) is working with industry partners to develop in-field cooling solutions that enable faster and more efficient temperature control.
Read more: CoolBerry: Developing in-field solutions for cooling of strawberry pallets
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The Produce Quality Centre (PQC) is working with industry partners to develop ozone-based treatments that extend the shelf life of fresh produce. Early trials have shown promising results in improving the storage life of strawberries without the need for chemical residues.
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As producers, packagers and retailers work towards meeting the Courtauld Commitments by 2025, many existing packaging solutions for fresh produce will no longer be acceptable. This presents particular challenges for perishable products, where the packaging environment plays a critical role in maintaining quality throughout storage and distribution.
Read more: Reducing plastics and including recycled content whilst limiting food waste
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Maintaining apple quality during long-term storage is becoming increasingly important as UK growers compete with imported fruit. At the same time, advances such as Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere (DCA) storage are enabling real-time monitoring of fresh produce, improving control over storage conditions.
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PhD student María Cárcamo de la Concepción is investigating the molecular and physiological mechanisms that determine changes in texture during postharvest storage in blueberries, studying two varieties with contrasting firmness profiles at the Produce Quality Centre and Driscoll's laboratories in East Malling.