According to the company, the bags limit light exposure to fresh potatoes which improved the shelf life and quality of the product.
The light-blocking technology was developed by Michigan State University’s School of Packaging. According to Ralph Schwartz, vice-president of sales at Potandon Produce, the bags blocked out 99,5% of all visible and ultraviolet light rays. This eliminated the risk of the product turning green, due to exposure to light.
According to Ralph Schwartz, vice-president of sales at Potandon Produce, the bags blocked out 99,5% of all visible and ultraviolet light rays. This eliminated the risk of the product turning green, due to exposure to light.
This eliminated the risk of the product turning green, due to exposure to light.
The company anticipated that the packaging would improve consumer acceptance of potatoes.
“Since most light exposure to fresh potatoes [occurs] at the retail level or in consumer homes, this improvement will dramatically increase customer satisfaction,” Schwartz said.
Rudolf Badenhorst, market development manager at Potatoes SA, said the local potato industry welcomed the development of new packaging. If the product proved to be cost-effective, local producers would consider using it.
“On our national [fresh produce] markets, greening is one of the biggest reasons for potatoes being marked down,” he said.
This kind of packaging could help growers become more competitive and ultimately achieve better prices for potatoes.
According to Freshsolutionsnet.com, it was essential for the potato industry to develop packaging solutions, as elements such as high-impact graphics on packaging created renewed interest in potatoes and stimulated sales.
