Ensuring Quality Fry Color in Ethylene-Applied Potato Stores
A new technique for preserving the fry color of potatoes in ethylene-applied storage facilities has found an exclusive distributor in the UK. This innovative method, Biofresh Safestore, is gearing up for its first full season based on four years of impressive trial results.
Biofresh Safestore is actively promoting this technique to UK potato producers and processors following CRD clearance. In November 2023, Biofresh Safestore secured the UK marketing rights to StoreGuard, a product of AgroFresh, known for its effectiveness in preventing fry color change during potato processing when ethylene is used as a sprout inhibitor.
StoreGuard uses 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to maintain fry color integrity. The treatment is administered early in the storage process before the start of ethylene treatment and is priced per tonne. After the application, staff can access the storage area within 24 hours. StoreGuard involves dissolving soluble tablets in an activator solution, which is then distributed in pouches throughout the storage facility.
Beyond preserving fry color, StoreGuard helps protect stored potatoes from the ‘shock’ of introducing ethylene. It reduces transpiration rates, thereby minimizing weight loss and reducing the operational time of storage fans.
“Combining SafeGuard with the ethylene-based Safestore system is a highly effective way of both suppressing sprouting and countering the effects on fry color that some varieties can experience when treated with ethylene. With both SafeGuard and SafeStore, there is no detectable residue on the potatoes, and the data from the commercial trials conducted under an experimental license in Europe show the benefits of applying 1-MCP,” said Jeremy Barraclough of Biofresh Safestore.
Trials have been conducted not only in Europe but also in the UK, including at Winters Lane Storage, which recently hosted GB Potatoes’ SPOt Store day. Simon Faulkner, an independent agronomist and director of SDF Agriculture who has been involved in the commercial trials of StoreGuard for the past three years, spoke at the event.
“StoreGuard has been shown to protect some processing potato varieties against the potential negative effects that ethylene can have on fry colors. Applied before ethylene treatment commences, the benefits of StoreGuard typically last through to April. Combined with the careful introduction of ethylene and managing carbon dioxide levels, StoreGuard can help to maintain processing potato quality during storage,” Barraclough concluded.
