Polythene bags increase produce shelf life by 30 days

By Julius Omondi

Fresh produce farmers can now preserve their produce for over 30 days without the food going bad, thanks to new polythene-like, post-harvest bags.

The bags will cushion farmers against avoidable losses that cost the world Sh35 billion annually according to a UN report.

The technology comes at a time when Kenya is facing tightened export rules  from traditional export markets such as the EU.

Contributing to the tough stance is the poor, post harvest handling of fresh produce.

The bags are deemed to cushion farmers against losses that are incurred due to rotting of the delicate produce.

Produce farmers

The initiative being pioneered by Amiran Kenya, targets large scale fresh produce farmers, who plant vegetables, herbs, fruits and spices for export.

 “We introduced commercial herbs and spices farming for export by supplying the seeds in 2010,” said Amiran Commercial Manager, Seed Section, Ms Evelyn Musyoka.

“Our initial clients registered losses mainly related to post-harvest handling due to the delicate nature of the crops they were dealing with.”

 “Because we were committed to deepening the adoption of herbs and spices farming for export, we were compelled to search for solutions to prolong  the shelf life of perishable crops, hence the introduction of the post-harvest bags.”

The bags are similar to normal polythene bags, the  only difference being their special design and specific conditions of their manufacturing process.

Their efficiency is pegged on the principle of Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere Packaging, which modifies the internal atmosphere in a package.

Aerobic organisms

The modification principle often tries to lower the amount of oxygen, moving it from 20.9 per cent to 0 per cent, to slow down the growth of aerobic organisms and the speed of oxidation reactions.

 The oxygen one removed is replaced by carbon dioxide, which inhibits the growth of bacteria. Musyoka says the re-balancing of gases inside the packaging bag is best achieved using active techniques such as gas flushing. In addition, the bags are passively designed with “breathable” films, a process of the equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging.

The bags, which are witnessing increased demand due to their efficiency and cost cushioning are distributed in various sizes depending on farmers’ needs with sizes ranging between 1,5 and 25 kilos.

The prices range between Sh8-Sh20. Bags that can carry between one and  five kilos are mainly used to package retail goods while the 25 kilogram bags are mainly meant for field packaging while harvesting.

 “The bags are in high demand for packaging fresh produce for export due to the fact that the company is certified by various standardisation bodies in the European Union,” noted Musyoka.  “Farmers using these bags hardly register any rejects as the produce reaches its destination still fresh.”

There are over 60 types of bags designed for different types of produce. This is because each  type of produce requires specific conditions for its preservation, taking into acccount issues like humidity and temperature.

Due to the delicate nature of the fresh produce, farmers are given intensive training on how to use the bags for them to register success. In addition, the bags have an outlined procedure detailing the instructions for their usage. Currently, the bags are commonly used for large-scale commercial farming.

The bags dictate usage alongside other conditions that  require infrastructural investment like storage coolers and cooler trucks to transport the produce to the port of exit. 

Apart from elongating the shelf life of fresh produce, Musyoka noted that the bag technology also ensures environmental conservation.

Huge wastage

The bags reduce the amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by absorbing the gas through their breathable films.

They release oxygen to ensure freshness of the produce.

The United Nations through their agency Food and Agricultural Organisation presented a report last year indicating that close to 50 per cent of fruits and vegetables in the European Union go to waste.

The report also indicated that 28 per cent of the fresh produce distributed in the West is discarded due to their perishability.  This amounts to over $35 billion in losses. The usage of these bags will help mitigate such kind of losses.                                                                                                                 —FarmBiz Africa