The technology is a natural anti-scald agent that prevents brown spots from forming on the skin of these fruits. It was successfully licensed by Know Hub Chile and is being tested by the multinational AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. ahead of its commercialization.
With the development of a technology to preserve pome fruits such as apples and pears, Universidad de Talca achieved its first international license, as part of its work on technology transfer from academia that contributes to the agribusiness sector.
The invention controls superficial scald, a problem caused by the cold to which pome fruits are exposed during post-harvest storage.
The innovative product is made with a natural lipid found in plants and was developed in the laboratories of Universidad de Talca by researcher Carolina Torres, who is currently an associate professor and “Endowed Chair” in postharvest systems at Washington State University in the United States.
“This technology is applied after harvest and before the cold storage that pears and apples undergo around the world, preventing a very devastating physiological disorder in these fruits called superficial scald, which appears as blackening of the skin and causes cosmetic damage that makes the fruit unmarketable,” explained the academic, who highlighted the initial support of the Fundación para la Innovación Agraria (FIA) and the Fondo de Fomento al Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (Fondef).
Torres said licensing is one of the paths academia has to make an impact on industry, especially for scientists who carry out applied research. “We want to bring about positive change and find solutions that are ultimately applied in industry and improve its competitiveness,” she said.
A contribution from academia
For Universidad de Talca, this is the first license to emerge from the laboratories of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences that will have an international patent, an important step in technology transfer.
“As a University, we have made progress by boosting innovation and technology transfer, and we hope this international license will be the first of other processes that bring us even closer to industry,” said Rector Álvaro Rojas.
He stressed that, as a country, it is vital to make progress on this front. “On the one hand, companies must trust our researchers and existing capabilities, and on the other, universities must listen to and understand the needs and requirements of different industries, and thus generate joint work that leads to the development of new technologies and innovations,” he added.
Along the same lines, the University’s Director of Technology Transfer, Michel Leporati, said that actions like this showcase the University’s ability to develop solutions from the local to the global level.
“Progress in innovation and in developing new ways of doing technology transfer through the alliance with Know Hub gives the university the opportunity to systematically place all its technology assets with licensing potential in an international showcase, positioning the University as a relevant player in transfer, innovation and entrepreneurship in the national ecosystem,” he said.
Licensing
A vital aspect of the technology’s commercialization was the work carried out by Know Hub Chile, which brokered the license with the multinational AgroFresh Solutions, Inc., which announced a global license agreement for the anti-scald agent.
“This has made it possible to broaden and deepen the capabilities and skills to support the processes of identifying, valuing, protecting and commercializing research results, through knowledge transfer, the implementation of tools and the building of networks and ties,” said Leporati, who noted that this support has facilitated the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as the strengthening of the regional science and technology ecosystem.
Javier Ramírez, CEO of Know Hub Chile, explained how the license came about. “After extensive industry research, we chose to work with AgroFresh because of its experience, its presence and its deep customer relationships in the produce market,” he said.
Know Hub’s Technology Transfer Manager, Fernando Venegas, explained that AgroFresh supported this technology from its earliest stages, including co-funding the public grants that helped develop it. “We are excited to work with them and to contribute from Chile an innovative technology that could help the pome fruit industry achieve its quality and sustainability goals,” he said.
AgroFresh, a global leader in solutions that extend the freshness of fruits and vegetables, expects customer trials to begin during the 2021-2022 Northern Hemisphere pome fruit season.
Its CEO, Clint Lewis, highlighted the potential impact of this system for the apple and pear industry. “The natural scald control technology could be a strategic complement to our conventional scald control portfolio, and it is a key part of our innovation pipeline. By commercializing more plant-based solutions and leveraging our deep global postharvest expertise, AgroFresh continues its commitment to helping reduce pome fruit loss and waste across the produce sector,” he said.
A benefit for pome fruits
Fruit scald is a physiological disorder caused by the cold stress that fruits undergo after harvest, as part of storage prior to export. It produces lesions on the fruit’s skin that appear as dark spots altering its external appearance, which means the loss of its commercial value.
To prevent this, the pome fruit industry has developed a series of chemical treatments, but some of them are problematic, either because they are questioned under international regulations or because they block the ripening and quality of apples and pears. That is why the technology created is a comprehensive solution that seeks to solve the problem using natural materials.
Source: Universidad de Talca
