Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Chemistry

This natural chemical could keep fruits and vegetables fresh for longer

It's a chemical produced by the fruits themselves.

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
November 30, 2021
in Agriculture, Chemistry
Roksolana Zasiadko.

Every year, over 1.3 million apples are discarded — but that’s nothing compared to the hundreds of millions of bananas discarded every year. Whatever fruit or vegetable you look at, we discard a lot of it. Food waste is a major global issue, and it’s happening at every level from farm to plate. Globally, up to 40% of all picked fruit is wasted, which is a huge environmental and economic problem.

Some retailers have attempted to solve this problem by packaging fruits in plastic, which keeps them fresh for longer, but created another problem in the form of plastic pollution. But according to some research, there could be another approach that works.

Researchers working at the University of Guelph in Canada have found that they can use hexanal (a compound naturally produced by fruits and veggies) to keep them fresh for a longer period of time. Plants produce hexanal to ward off pests and delay the onset of the enzyme phospholipase D, which makes fruits and veggies go bad.

The researchers used nine different methods of administering the hexanal to fruits, including a spray formulation, a wrap, stickers, and sachets.

“Fruit that is dipped in hexanal after harvest can stay fresh for between three and four weeks longer. This means that fruit can be tree-ripened, picked and shipped to its destinations, where it would arrive in better condition and would contribute to less fruit being discarded as unpalatable or marketable,” the researchers write in an accompanying article.

Mangoes were found to stay fresh for up to three weeks longer, while for nectarines (which are particularly prone to browning), the browning was delayed by nine days.

“We also found that there’s potential for using hexanal to improve the transportation of tastier fruit varieties that are currently too delicate to ship internationally,” write Jayasankar Subramanian and Elizabeth Finnis, two of the researchers involved in the study.

The researchers also emphasize that this could improve the livelihoods of farmers living in impoverished areas. Although they are at the very base of our modern food chain, they often make the least money, and have the least bargaining power. When food gets wasted, it’s often the farmers that end up losing the most.

Hexanal, in spite of its artificial-sounding name, is a natural compound, and it is also safe and approved for consumption. It’s also pretty cheap and production can be scaled easily.

Of course, it will take time (and probably, larger studies) before the use of hexanal can be actually implemented in the agricultural system. But having access to a method that can make produce last longer could end up making an important difference in the world.

Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Related posts:
  1. Fresh Fruits And Vegetables Retain Antioxidants
  2. Red Wine, Fruits And Vegetables May Stop Cancer
  3. Among fruits and vegetables, bananas are the biggest waste culprits
  4. Most of UK’s fruits and vegetables contain a mixture of pesticides — but is this a concern?
  5. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help tackle depression in young men

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW