Sep 28, 2012 10:37 AM

Purfresh Inc announced that Hubimeza SA has deployed Purfresh’s active atmosphere system to protect the quality of pineapples shipped via ocean transport from Ecuador to Denmark.

Using the Purfresh technology, Hubimeza SA is able to reduce decay and control the presence or appearance of mold in pineapples shipped via ocean transit.

“Today is about the appropriate use of advanced technologies that deliver the best product to the market, and the Purfresh system has helped us to better preserve color and freshness of our pineapples,” said Katherine Ubilla, export manager for Hubimeza SA. “In particular, with Purfresh, we have gained better quality and appearance of our fruit along with less mold and longer shelf life. We anticipate deploying the system for future, longer voyages to reach high-demand markets that were previously unattainable via ocean.”

Highly susceptible to mold and decay-causing pathogens, as well color change, pineapples are at risk of quality degradation during long-distance voyages. Purfresh’s active atmosphere system delivers consistent and precise concentrations of ozone, a natural form of oxygen, allowing Hubimeza SA to maintain fruit quality by reducing decay, killing bacteria, and removing ethylene during maritime transit. Purfresh’s cargo-monitoring software, Intellipur, constantly monitors the environment inside the reefer throughout the voyage including temperature, relative humidity, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and controls ozone levels remotely.

“Shippers of fresh produce choose our patent-pending technology to mitigate risk, open new markets, and reduce transport costs—all while protecting valuable cargo,” said Miguel A Gómez, sales manager of Mexico, Central America, and Ecuador. “Given the global pressure that fruit growers and shippers are experiencing today, along with the shortcomings of traditional alternatives, everyone—from the exporter to the consumer—benefits from safer, higher-quality produce, reduced losses, and a more sustainable global food supply chain.”

Purfresh is offered as a per-trip service from most shipping lines. For more details, visit Purfresh.com or Intellipur.com.