SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONDITIONING POTATOES

Abstract

A method of reconditioning potatoes is disclosed. Over a time period of 1 week or more, potatoes are stored in a controlled environment having a temperature of >=10° C. and an atmosphere comprising ethylene at a concentration greater than 0.1 ppm. A corresponding system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of reconditioning potatoes comprising: over a time period of 1 week or more, storing the potatoes in a controlled environment having a temperature of >=10° C. and an atmosphere comprising ethylene at a concentration greater than 0.1 ppm.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing potatoes in the controlled environment at a temperature 6-9 Celsius prior to reconditioning and, during reconditioning, warming the controlled environment to 10 to 22 Celsius for 1 to 4 weeks in the presence of ethylene.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling ethylene concentration during reconditioning.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising starting ethylene concentration at 10 ppm and dropping concentration over time during reconditioning to 0.1 ppm.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature during reconditioning is between 10° C. and 20° C.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature during reconditioning is between 12 and 14° C.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature during reconditioning is held at 14° C.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying or maintaining the ethylene concentration in the controlled environment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the varying is performed in dependence on sprouting measured or detected in the potatoes.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the varying is performed in dependence on temperature of the controlled environment.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the varying is performed in dependence on the present point in time the potatoes are through a predetermined reconditioning programme.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the ethylene concentration is held at a parts-per-million value of 0.1 up to 10.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing the ethylene concentration during reconditioning in a selected one of: a single step, weekly steps, daily steps, hourly steps or steps defined in a predetermined schedule.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting concentration at 10 ppm and reducing to 2 ppm over the reconditioning period.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting concentration at 10 ppm and reducing to 2 ppm after a predetermined period.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting concentration at 10 ppm and reducing to 4 ppm and then reducing to 2 ppm the reductions being after the same or differing predetermined periods of time.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing potatoes at 2 ppm for 6 months followed by reconditioning in a controlled environment that includes ethylene at 1 ppm reducing to 0.5 ppm and reducing again to 0.1 ppm.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying the ethylene concentration programme if the potatoes had, before reconditioning, been stored in an ethylene environment.

19. A system for controlling reconditioning of potatoes in a storage facility comprising: a temperature sensor and a temperature controller, the temperature sensor being configured to monitor temperature of an atmosphere in the storage facility and communicate the temperature to the temperature controller, the temperature controller being configured to control temperature of the environment according to a predetermined reconditioning programme, the predetermined reconditioning programme maintaining a temperature in the atmosphere of greater than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius for at least one week; and an ethylene concentration sensor and an ethylene concentration controller, the ethylene concentration sensor being configured to detect an ethylene concentration in the atmosphere and communicate the concentration to the ethylene concentration controller, the ethylene concentration controller being configured to control ethylene concentration in the atmosphere according to a predetermined ethylene concentration programme, the predetermined ethylene concentration programme comprising a concentration of ethylene in the atmosphere during the at least one week of at least 0.1 ppm.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to monitor temperature of the atmosphere in the storage facility and communicate the temperature to the temperature controller, the temperature controller being configured to control temperature of the environment according to a predetermined reconditioning programme.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a potato reconditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a series of photographs showing fry colour before reconditioning; and,

[0035] FIG. 3 is a series of photographs showing fry colour after reconditioning using the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a potato reconditioning system according to an embodiment.

[0037] The system 10 is installed at an above ground potato storage facility 5 (but it will be appreciated can be supplied as a separate system and retrofitted to existing storage facilities and/or be portable and used temporarily at a facility before removal for use elsewhere, storage etc).

[0038] The system 10 includes a temperature sensor 20 and a temperature controller 25 and an ethylene concentration sensor 30 and an ethylene concentration controller 35.

[0039] The temperature sensor 20 is configured to monitor temperature of the atmosphere in the storage facility 5. It communicates the temperature to the temperature controller 25 which in turn is configured to control temperature of the environment according to a predetermined reconditioning programme. The predetermined reconditioning programme maintains a temperature in the atmosphere of greater than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius for at least one week.

[0040] The ethylene concentration sensor 30 is configured to detect an ethylene concentration in the atmosphere and communicate the concentration to the ethylene concentration controller 35. The ethylene concentration controller 35 in turn is configured to control ethylene concentration in the atmosphere according to a predetermined ethylene concentration programme. The predetermined ethylene concentration programme comprises a concentration of ethylene in the atmosphere during the at least one week of at least 0.1 ppm.

[0041] Temperature and ethylene concentration changes can be achieved in many different ways, for example via a heater for temperature and via an ethylene generator for ethylene. These could be part of the system 10, part of the facility 5 or separate systems that are triggered by the respective controllers. An example of an ethylene generator is set out in EP1985187, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0042] It will be appreciated that the reconditioning programme and the ethylene concentration programme may be configured according to many different profiles, examples of which are set out below. The programmes may be fixed or variable and may be part of the respective controllers 25, 35 or communicated from a central controller or other remote system. The temperature and ethylene concentration controllers 25, 35 preferably operate on a feedback or other control principle so as to follow the respective programme over time and accommodate external influences such as weather changes that may impact temperature etc. optionally, a control potato or a series of control potatoes in the facility 5 may be continuously or intermittently monitored for sugar content or fry colour and the programmes varied in dependence on the monitoring. This may be done manually by a technician or in an automated fashion using a probe in the potato or similar.

[0043] In one example, temperature may be set (approximately) between 10° C. and 20° C. and held at that temperature by the reconditioning programme. More preferably, the temperature is held at between 12 and 14° C. Most preferably, temperature is held at 14° C. The programme may be performed for 1 to 4 weeks.

[0044] The ethylene concentration programme may be varied in dependently of the reconditioning programme (for example it may be a constant programme or one that varies based on sprouting that is identified) or dependently (so the ethylene concentration may be varied based on temperature applied by the reconditioning programme or point in time through the reconditioning programme such that it is ramped up or down over time).

[0045] The ethylene concentration may be held at a parts-per-million value of 0.1 up to 10. In a preferred embodiment, ethylene concentration is started at approximately 10 ppm and reduced over time to 2 ppm. Preferably, the concentration is reduced. It may be done in a single step, in weekly steps or in daily steps. Example profiles include 10 ppm reducing to 2 ppm over the reconditioning period; 10 ppm reduced to 2 ppm after a predetermined period such as 1 week; 10 ppm reducing to 4 ppm reducing to 2 ppm, a reduction occurring each week; storage at 2 ppm for 6 months followed by reconditioning at 1 ppm reducing to 0.5 ppm and reducing again to 0.1 ppm.

[0046] The ethylene concentration programme may be dependent on whether the potatoes had previously (before reconditioning) been stored in an ethylene environment.

[0047] FIG. 2 is a series of photographs showing fry colour before reconditioning.

[0048] FIG. 3 is a series of photographs showing fry colour after reconditioning using the embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0049] There now follows a description of an experimental trial by the inventors

[0050] The goal of the trial was to recondition French fry tubers in a 2-3 week period to improve fry colour and maintain brittle sprouts.

[0051] 3 trial cells were operated, each 85 cubic meters in size and holding fontane variety of potatoes. The stores holding each trial cell stores were warmed to 12.5° C.

[0052] A sample was taken from each cell. Each sample was made up of 25 tubers from the front and the back of the store. The tubers selected were showing signs of sprouting in some degree and have had variable and in some cases poor fry color results.

[0053] The first sample was sent for a benchmark Soleye fry colour measurement. Soleye is an optical colour reader used to determine fry colour.

[0054] Trial Details.

[0055] Cell 56

[0056] Gradually reducing the ethylene level by 0.5 ppm per day from 18% to 4% @ 12 C

[0057] Trial dates from 20 Mar. 2020-Jul. 4, 2020

[0058] Cell 60

[0059] First 7 days 4 ppm and from day 8 reduced to continuous 2 ppm @ 12 C

[0060] Trial dates from 23 Mar. 2020-Jul. 4, 2020

[0061] Cell 64

[0062] Continuous 2 ppm @ 12 C

[0063] Trial dates from 20 Mar. 2020-Jul. 4, 2020

[0064] The fry colour results in FIGS. 2 and 3 (prior to reconditioning on 20 Apr. 2020 and after reconditioning on Jul. 4, 2020, respectively) are for the fry colour testing done on samples from store 64. The lower the score, the better the fry colour. The 0 scores in FIG. 3 reflecting better fry colour than those of FIG. 2.

[0065] Following reconditioning using the described method, all tubers maintained brittle sprouts which was the desired outcome.