long live orange

The project, named BiOrangePack, is financed by the European Union and It has the participation of five of the main citrus producing countries in the Mediterranean region.such as Spain, Italy, Turkey, Algeria and Tunisia, to which France should be added as the main importer. The initiative is also expressed through a consortium of which 14 partners are part. In particular, University of Catania, Interuniversity Consortium for the Development of Large In-Phase Systems, Sicilian Center for Nuclear Physics and the Structure of Matter, University of Tunisia El Manar, University of Valencia, University of Ankara, Decco Italy, AGDIA , EMEA, OP Cosentino, Center Techniques des Agrumes, Partner Institut National de Recherche Agronomique and Aimplas itself.

The main goal is the development of a new coating. based on residues of pulp from the transformation of orangeAllows to reduce rot caused by fungi in citrus fruits. As explained by Irene Ríos, principal investigator of the project at Aimplas, “The goal with this initiative is to reduce losses from postharvest rot by up to 30%, extend the life of oranges and lemons, and utilize residual citrus pulp from these industries through non-toxic and ecological treatments. to reduce the residues in the industrial conversion of fruit into juices or essences by up to 80%”.

BiOrangePack also follows Increasing the efficiency, sustainability and competitiveness of the organic citrus processing chain by intervening in its weak points. In this sense, Ríos adds that it is aimed to increase transport efficiency by 20% thanks to the application of smart technology. “In short, it underlines that we aim to contribute to the growth of the organic citrus market in Europe from the current 15% to 25%.”

Prevention of postharvest rot in citrus is usually done with synthetic fungicides. However, besides losing their effectiveness against resistant fungal strains, they are prohibited in organic production systems. In addition, Aimplas, the public and Existing national and European legislation on phytosanitary and food safety is becoming increasingly sensitive to the presence of pesticide residues. In food products that reinforce the benefits of this project.

For this reason, the Aimplas researcher has discovered that the bioactive coating made from citrus pulp circular economy example. To achieve this, active ingredients with antifungal capacity are extracted from citrus peel and pulp residues to develop an innovative system with low permeability polymeric films coated with biocidal agents to reduce post-harvest rot. coating based on cellulose and mycelial containers, which can release natural antimicrobial substances to be used to reduce rot in orange packaging.

The environmental impact of the project can be measured in terms of the amount of pulp, which is the main by-product of the citrus juice and essences industry and is reused with such use. The citrus pulp produced in the Mediterranean region can be estimated at 0.9 million tons per year..

It should be noted that one of the main goals of Aimplas is to help companies implement the circular economy into their business models in order to transform regulatory changes affecting the plastics industry into opportunities to increase their efficiency, reduce their environmental impact and boost the plastics industry. its economic profitability. To do this, they work and research at the institute in areas such as recycling, biodegradable materials and products, biomass and CO2 use, always developing innovative solutions that help solve current environmental problems.

And what do citrus growers think about it? José Vicente Andreu, also president of Asaja Alicante, points out that the current formula for preserving oranges and preventing the proliferation of fungi is cold therapy, although the product has limitations in terms of both efficacy and lifetime usefulness. He also adds that synthetic waxes are used to prevent the fruit from drying out. However, he admits,There are more and more limitations as legislation advocates reducing chemical residues as much as possible.».

That’s why he thinks from the very beginning the project that Aimplas was involved in to develop a bioactive coating was extremely interesting, not only because it’s a natural compound, but also because it significantly extends the life of beneficial citrus fruits. , with the commercial advantages it entails.

In his words, “if the perspectives considered are confirmed, we could send our fruits to distant places like Japan or other countries that we can’t reach at the moment because it is very difficult to keep the citrus in good condition, due to time lost in the journey.”

double edged sword

In any case, Andreu points out that this is a double-edged sword, as “our competitors can also take advantage of this progress to bring their production to our markets, which could lead to oversupply.” » .

Eladio Aniorte, another producer from Vega Baja, similarly said, “Anything that prolongs the life of our citrus is very interesting from a marketing point of view. It is about innovation and natural products, because that is what is demanded of us by both national and European legislation. However, it does not address the problems it describes. also warns against crusade against chemicals. In his words, “legislation often moves faster than scientific advances, so much so that we find ourselves each time with greater difficulties in tackling certain pests as there are no effective ecological treatments.”

The sector also calls on the European Union to ensure that imported agricultural products meet the same requirements as those grown on community soils to avoid unfair competition and disease transmission.