EUROSTARS grant for energy efficient fruit quality monitoring

Each year 1.3 billion tons of food is lost, of which 572 million tons are fruits and vegetables. Detection of relevant parameters for ripening, fermentation, rotting, and damage within storage units would allow timely and effective interventions when unfavorable conditions occur, however no suitable monitoring solution exist.

At the Life Science Trace Detection Lab (TD Lab) at Radboud University research is performed to develop technologies towards practical solutions.

In a first phase, during the EU H2020 - QCAP project the research team has demonstrated a proof-of-principle multi-species trace gas sensor. In the follow-up project EU H2020 Fast Track to Innovation - MAX-FRESH, the project team has further developed the system into a market-ready prototype of an interactive storage system. The system is the world’s first automated multi-species trace gas sensor for fruit storage.

Project

Now, TDLab will participate in the project GREENFRUIT (GReen and Energy Efficient Next generation FRUIT quality monitoring in storage) in a consortium together with Storex, Technical University of Denmark and NORBLIS. Here, TDLab will advance the research and development activities to the next level and focus on providing solutions that will reduces storage energy consumption by 10% by promoting green and energy efficient fresh fruit storage and sustainable agriculture. “We are confident that implementing our cutting-edge technology will reduce the losses of stored fruit by 50%, extend storage life with 20% and reduce post-harvest chemical treatments with 50%" (Simona Cristescu and Amir Khodabakhsh of TDLab).

Contact information