People in the industry usually use low temperatures to keep apples fresh, may vacuum-pack them or use nitrogen gas. This new technique is amazingly simple and also prevents bacteria from growing.
A team of researchers used a specially designed plasma tool, based on one that had been used in hospitals to disinfect wounds, to wipe out the bacteria on the surface of the apple. They found that, when given a blast with this tool, the apples stayed fresh for considerably longer.
Study co-author Xinpei Lu of China’s Huazhong University of Science and Technology told Gizmodo that bacteria is usually the culprit for when fruits and veggies go bad.
Using the plasma tool eliminates bacteria that forms a biofilm covering the apple. “If biofilm is formed, the fruits will turn bad in few days,” Lu noted. With this new technique, however, he said that time was stretched into weeks. “I would say that extended shelf-life up to several weeks should be fine.”
We're Not Sure We Want Anything Sprayed On Our Fruit!
Rest assured, though, it's very real and shows great promise. And we're all for anything that keeps food fresh and possibly helps prevent food waste.
Tell Us Your Thoughts!
Article Source: Gizmodo
There are no comments at the moment, do you want to add one?
Write a comment