Hazel Technologies Inc. has completed a shelf-life study of its product on anjou pears in storage.
Hazel Pear packing inserts were first introduced in January 2018. The study, at Oregon State University’s Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Hood River, focused specifically on the Anjou variety.
The 31-day trial tracked five metrics: firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solids content, ethylene production and index of absorbance, which is an industry method to measure color retention, according to a news release.
After the 31 days, researchers reported three times higher firmness, three times lower ethylene production and about 2 ½ times more color retention, compared to a control group.
“This trial with Oregon State has allowed us to further learn and develop our technology for pears,” Adam Preslar, chief technology officer and co-founder of Hazel Technologies, said in the release. “We are eager to continue securing academic validations of our technologies.”
The company has collaborated with universities on researching shelf life of other crops, including cherries and apricots, and has products designed to ship with tropical fruits and avocados.
Hazel Technologies, Chicago, has hired Natalia Param Agurto as post-harvest laboratory manager. Former positions include agronomist and post-harvest scientist for the Chilian Kiwifruit Committee, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and FruitQualitas SpA., according to the release.
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