Novel method of preservation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one vegetable oil, at least one alcohol, at least one antioxidant and at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of the disclosed composition in agriculture.

Description

[0001] “Novel method of preservation”

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] ★★★★★★★

[0004] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention relates to a composition and the use thereof in agriculture.

[0006] STATE OF THE ART

[0007] The biological activities of fruit and vegetables continue also after harvest and may contribute to making a product less competitive on the market.

[0008] The respiration and transpiration of fruit and vegetable products cause a loss of post-harvest quality due to the decrease in mass, wilting and improper storage. As a consequence, the product shelf life will be very short. Furthermore, an altered epidermis of fruit can contribute to a loss in the quality of the product itself.

[0009] A first problem is due to the fact that fruits with an altered epidermis are subject to greater water losses than perfectly intact fruits. This results in a shorter duration of their preservability in cold rooms, with a loss of weight and increase in the phenomena of drying out at the end of the storage period.

[0010] Furthermore, in the case of thin-skinned fruits, such as cherries, but also some varieties of table grapes, apricots, peaches, strawberries and apples, surface lesions of the epidermis may lead to localised weaknesses, which, in some circumstances, for example heavy rainfall or irrigation before harvest, are liable to evolve into the phenomenon of cracking, which results in the immediate loss of the fruits still hanging.

[0011] Several practices, described below, are commonly adopted to reduce the above-described phenomena; however, they are not free of drawbacks.

[0012] A first measure, commonly used on hanging apples during the development stage, consists in repeated applications of liquid or powder sulphur compounds, to which a certain cosmetic power on the epidermis is attributed.

[0013] A second and more sophisticated solution consists in the early application, on hanging fruits, of plant hormones known by the name gibberellins, which favour cell elongation, thus contributing to a greater elasticity of the epidermis. Gibberellins constitute a broad family of plant hormones, various forms of which are known, distinguished by different initials and numbers. The ones most used in agriculture are the gibberellins called GA3 (= gibberellic acid) or gibberellins GA4+GA7, commercially available as a mixture in the form of an aqueous solution with 1 -2% by volume of active substances, to be diluted in water until obtaining concentrations of 0.0000025-0.0001 % by volume of active substances prior to administration to plants by means of special spraying equipment.

[0014] A first drawback of the above-described treatments consists in their limited efficacy, i.e. limited ability to reduce the intensity and phenomena of epidermal lesions and reduction in the product shelf life.

[0015] A second drawback is given by the fact that the products mentioned belong to the category of pesticides and, as such, are subject to a hefty series of limitations on their use, due also to the presence of residues of chemical substances that such products leave on fruit, as well as very high regulatory costs.

[0016] Furthermore, consumers’ increasing attention to the purchase and consumption of foods perceived as healthy effectively places products treated with pesticides in a category perceived as not healthy for the human diet.

[0017] In this context, the principal aim of the present invention is to provide a product endowed with an effectiveness equal to and / or greater than that of the known products for preventing and / or limiting the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of fruits. A further object of the invention is to provide a product capable of obtaining the abovementioned effects which has a low impact and / or is harmless to humans and / or the environment.

[0018] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one vegetable oil, at least one alcohol, at least one antioxidant and at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent, wherein the at least one vegetable oil is preferably selected from: sunflower oil, peanut oil, linseed oil, hemp oil and mixtures thereof; the at least one alcohol is selected from: ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and mixtures thereof; the at least one antioxidant is selected from: butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, sodium erythorbate, trisodium citrate and mixtures thereof; and the at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent is selected from: glycerine and polyethylene glycol (PEG) and mixtures thereof.

[0020] Preferably, the at least one vegetable oil is present in a concentration between 3 and 20% weight / weight (w / w) of the composition, preferably between 5 and 15% w / w, more preferably between 5 and 10% w / w.

[0021] Preferably, the at least one alcohol is present in a concentration between 10 and 40% w / w, preferably between 15 and 35% w / w, more preferably between 20 and 30% w / w.

[0022] Preferably, the at least one antioxidant is present in a concentration between 2 and 25% w / w, preferably between 3 and 20% w / w, more preferably between 5 and 15% w / w.

[0023] Preferably, the at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent is present in a concentration between 40 and 75% w / w, preferably between 45 and 70% w / w, more preferably between 50 and 65% w / w.

[0024] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a use of the abovedescribed composition in agriculture. In particular, the second aspect of the present invention relates to the use of the composition to prevent and / or limit the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of a fruit or vegetable.

[0025] Furthermore, the second aspect of the present invention relates to the use of the composition to prevent and / or limit dehydration and the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of the fruit or vegetable and / or to increase the shelf life of the fruit or vegetable.

[0026] Preferably, said use comprises distributing the composition over at least a portion of the fruit or vegetable by spraying or thermal fogging.

[0027] Preferably, during the above-described use, the fruit or vegetable is stored at a temperature between 0 and 6°C.

[0028] In particular, the fruits and vegetables are selected from: apples, pears, kiwis, citrus fruits and potatoes.

[0029] DEFINITIONS

[0030] In the context of the present description and in the appended claims, the term “epidermis” or “peel” refers to the outermost layer of the fruit epicarp.

[0031] In the context of the present description and the appended claims, the volume percentages of the component refer to the total volume of the composition.

[0032] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one vegetable oil, at least one alcohol, at least one antioxidant and at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the composition consists of a vegetable oil, an alcohol, an antioxidant and a carrier and / or a bonding agent.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the at least one vegetable oil is selected from: sunflower oil, peanut oil, linseed oil, hemp oil and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the at least one vegetable oil is sunflower oil.

[0036] Preferably, the composition comprises the at least one vegetable oil in a concentration between 3 and 20% weight / weight (w / w) of the composition, preferably between 5 and 15% w / w, more preferably between 5 and 10% w / w.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the at least one alcohol is selected from: ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the at least one alcohol is ethyl alcohol.

[0038] Preferably, the composition comprises the at least one alcohol in a concentration between 10 and 40% weight / weight (w / w) of the composition, preferably between 15 and 35% w / w, more preferably between 20 and 30% w / w.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the at least one antioxidant is selected from: butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, sodium erythorbate, trisodium citrate and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the at least one antioxidant is butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) and / or butylhydroxyanisole (BHA); more preferably, it is butylhydroxytoluene (BHT).

[0040] Preferably, the composition comprises the at least one antioxidant in a concentration between 2 and 25% weight / weight (w / w) of the composition, preferably between 3 and 20% w / w, more preferably between 5 and 15% w / w.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent is selected from: glycerine, polyethylene glycol (PEG) (also identified as E1521 ). Preferably, the composition comprises at least two carriers and / or bonding agents. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition comprises glycerine and PEG, preferably, PEG 200 and PEG 300.

[0042] Preferably, the composition comprises at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent in a concentration between 40 and 75% weight / weight (w / w) of the composition, preferably between 45 and 70% w / w, more preferably between 50 and 65% w / w.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the composition consists of a vegetable oil, an alcohol, an antioxidant and two carrier and / or bonding agents. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition consists of sunflower oil, ethyl alcohol, BHT, glycerine and PEG 200 or 300 in the percentages defined above in detail.

[0044] Preferably, the composition is in liquid form; for example, it is a solution, more preferably a solution suitable for application by aerosol and spraying. A second aspect of the present invention relates to the use, in agriculture, of the composition described above in detail for preventing and / or limiting the dehydration of a fruit or vegetable and the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of a fruit or vegetable.

[0045] Preferably, the composition can be marketed in a ready-to-use form, i.e. wherein the at least one vegetable oil, the at least one alcohol, the at least one antioxidant and the at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent are in the concentrations specified above. Alternatively, the composition can be marketed in a concentrated form, to be appropriately diluted at the time of use.

[0046] The composition can be used for the treatment of fruit produced by fruitbearing trees or bushes, whether spontaneous or cultivated. Preferably, the composition is used to prevent and / or limit the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of fruit produced by at least one plant belonging to a family selected from the group consisting of Rosaceae, Vitaceae and Rutaceae; the fruit can preferably be selected from the group consisting of apples, pears, kiwis, cherries, apricots, peaches, strawberries, grapes, and citrus fruits.

[0047] Preferably, the composition is used to prevent and / or limit the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of vegetables and greens. For example, the composition is used to prevent and / or limit the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of vegetables produced by at least one plant belonging to a family selected from the group consisting of Gigliacee, Brassicacee, Asteracee, Chenopodiacee, Apiaceae and Solanacee.

[0048] Preferably, the vegetables can be selected from the group consisting of: cucumbers, aubergines, peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, beets, carrots, turnips, radishes, celeriac, asparagus, fennel, celery, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, leeks and shallots.

[0049] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fruits and vegetables are selected from: apples, pears, kiwis, citrus fruits, and potatoes.

[0050] The effectiveness of the above-described composition in preventing and / or limiting the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of a fruit or vegetable has been observed by treating the fruit or vegetable after harvest.

[0051] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the above-described composition is applied to at least one portion, preferably to the whole fruit or vegetable by spraying and aerosol, more preferably by thermal fogging with methods and equipment known to the person skilled in the art,

[0052] In consideration of the low hazardousness of the composition for humans and / or the environment, advantageously, the use according to the present invention may be repeated anytime it is necessary, preferably after the harvesting of the fruit and / or vegetables and during the storage thereof.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition can be used to treat harvested fruit and vegetables, more preferably in order to maintain the properties of the harvested fruit and vegetables.

[0054] Preferably, the composition is applied to fruit and / or vegetables after harvest, at a storage temperature for the fruit and vegetables ranging between 0 and 6°C, preferably about 4°C. In other words, the composition is applied after the harvesting of fruit and vegetables, when they are kept in cold rooms or refrigerators.

[0055] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the above-described composition is applied to fruit and vegetables by thermal fogging, preferably after the harvesting of fruit and vegetables and during storage at a temperature between 0 and 6°C, preferably about 4°C.

[0056] The use of the composition according to the present invention allows the aesthetic appearance of the fruit to be improved by preventing and / or limiting phenomena of alteration of the epidermis and advantageously increasing the quality of the product. In particular, the composition is useful for preventing damage due to or caused by mechanical processing of the fruit or vegetables.

[0057] Since the surface of the fruit shows fewer alterations, the shelf life of the harvested fruit treated with the composition according to the invention is better, i.e. the fruit can be preserved for a longer time than untreated fruit.

[0058] Furthermore, the application of the above-described composition inhibits vegetables, particularly potatoes, from sprouting thereby increasing the shelf life thereof.

[0059] Furthermore, since the above-described composition has a low toxicological profile for humans, its use on products intended for human consumption does not pose any problems tied to the intake of harmful substances by consumers.

[0060] EXAMPLE

[0061] Tests were carried out to determine weight loss after applications of the composition of the invention on pears and potatoes in order to assess effectiveness as regards weight reduction. Containers (bins) containing potatoes or pears were weighed.

[0062] Potatoes

[0063] The application on potatoes was carried out according to the following application protocol:

[0064] Table 1

[0065] The applications were carried out according to the following timing and methods:

[0066] Table 2

[0067] On their entry into the cold room, the containers weighed respectively:

[0068] Table 3

[0069] At the time of the evaluations performed after about every 45 days, the containers weighed respectively:

[0070] 10

[0071] Table 4

[0072] It may be deduced, therefore, that the decreases between the containers 15 on entry and at the end of the effectiveness test are:

[0073] Table 5

[0074] Pears

[0075] The applications on containers of pears were carried out according to the following application protocol:

[0076] Table 6

[0077] The applications were carried out according to the following timing and methods:

[0078] Table 7 On their entry into the cold room, the containers weighed respectively:

[0079] Table 8

[0080] At the time of the evaluations performed after about every 45 days, the containers weighed respectively: Table 9

[0081] It may be deduced, therefore, that the decreases between the containers on entry and at the end of the effectiveness test are:

[0082] Table 10

[0083] Conclusions

[0084] The potatoes were weighed about 45 days after each treatment in order to assess the duration of the effect of the sunflower oil mixture on weight loss. The pears, on the other hand, underwent only 2 treatments and were weighed 3 times, about 45 days after the first treatment, about 90 days after the first treatment and about 45 days after the second treatment in order to assess the duration of the effect of the sunflower oil mixture on weight loss. It is noted that applications, at intervals, of the mixture of the present invention bring a significant improvement with respect to weight loss in both matrices during the entire storage period, compared to the untreated controls, which show a significant difference. Furthermore, it was noted that the storage temperatures, equal to about 5- 6°C for potatoes and -1 °C for pears, positively influence the effectiveness of the treatments.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A composition comprising at least one vegetable oil, at least one alcohol, at least one antioxidant and at least one carrier and / or one bonding agent, wherein the at least one vegetable oil is selected from: sunflower 5 oil, peanut oil, linseed oil, hemp oil and mixtures thereof, the at least one alcohol is selected from: ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and mixtures thereof, the at least one antioxidant is selected from: butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, sodium erythorbate, trisodium citrate and mixtures thereof, and the at least one carrier and / or adhesive agent is selected from: glycerine and polyethylene glycol (PEG) and mixtures thereof.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one vegetable oil is present in a concentration between 3 and 20% weight / weight (w / w) of the composition, preferably between 5 and 15% w / w, more preferably between 5 and 10% w / w.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one alcohol is present in a concentration between 10 and 40% w / w, preferably between 15 and 35% w / w, more preferably between 20 and 30% w / w.

4. The composition according to any one of claims 1 -3, wherein the at least one antioxidant is present in a concentration between 2 and 25% w / w, preferably between 3 and 20% w / w, more preferably between 5 and 15% w / w.

5. The composition according to any one of claims 1 -4, wherein the at least one carrier and / or adhesive agent is present in a concentration between 40and 75% w / w, preferably between 45 and 70% w / w, more preferably between 50 and 65% w / w.

6. Use of the composition according to any one of claims 1 -5 in agriculture.

7. The use according to claim 6, for preventing and / or limiting the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of a fruit or vegetable.

8. The use according to claim 6 or 7 for preventing and / or limiting the dehydration and the appearance of lesions on the epidermis of the fruit or vegetable and / or for increasing the shelf life of the fruit or vegetable.

9. The use according to any one of claims 6-8, comprising distributing the composition over at least a portion of the fruit or vegetable by spraying or thermal fogging.

10. The use according to any one of claims 6-9, wherein the fruit or vegetable is stored at a temperature between 0 and 6°C.

11. The use according to any one of claims 6-10, wherein the fruit and / or vegetable is selected from the group consisting of apples, pears, kiwis, citrus fruits, potatoes.

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