Study on ethylene-free storage of limes
The aim of the project is to study the impact and effectiveness of KEEPCOOL ethylene filters for storing limes.
The study consists in measuring various parameters that are indicative of ripening and ageing in limes with and without the system to delay it while stored at 9-10º C
METHODOLOGY
All the tests were carried out in a 200-m3 cold-storage unit at 9-10º C and 80% humidity, storing 3 crates of limes weighing approximately 6 kg per crate. The weight of the fruit was analysed at the beginning and after 3, 6 and 10 days. In another identical cold-storage unit we did the test with the KEEPCOOL system, installing an M-CAM 200 machine with 2 filters behind the evaporator.
MATERIALS
The following materials and teams were used to do the tasks:
Company: Earmur, based in Murcia and one of the top producers of limes in the region.
Limes: 6 crates of the Bears variety, freshly harvested from the estate.
Filter: As a system to delay ripening and ageing, we used 2 KEEPCOOL KC-7, filters inside the M-CAM 200 machine with a fungicide system.
Cold storage: The 200-m3 cold-storage room is equipped with a program that controls temperature, humidity and lighting. For the test, the produce was stored at 9-8º C and 80% humidity.
GRAFIC

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4,17% less weight-loss
Weight-loss is less pronounced in limes stored with KEEPCOOL (2,22%) than those stored without our filter (6.39%) over 10 days.
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better product texture
The loss of texture in the samples is less pronounced in those stored with KEEPCOOL.
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No rotting
The limes stored with our KEEPCOOL filter show no signs of oleocellosis, while the ones stored without did.