Recommendations for Postharvest Treatment of Pome Fruit

In a few weeks, the 2025 pome fruit harvest season will begin in Spain, where an increase in apple production is expected, along with a recovery in pear yields following last year's poor crop. This larger harvest will result in increased stock at packing facilities, requiring careful management for staggered sales over the following months.

Pome fruit is stored for extended periods in cold rooms under various storage conditions. To maintain the same quality, freshness, and freedom from fungal diseases as at harvest time, Citrosol offers in its postharvest technology catalog two products—FYSIUM® and FRUITFOG®-PYR—which provide an integrated solution to extend the commercial life of apples and pears, enabling staggered fruit marketing.

FYSIUM® generates the 1-MCP molecule in situ, delivering the correct dose at the precise moment it is needed. Application is carried out from outside the storage room, eliminating operator exposure. FYSIUM® preserves firmness and quality in apples and pears, maintaining a fresh appearance and a crisp, flavorful texture.

FRUITFOG®-PYR is a fumigant treatment based on pyrimethanil (PYR), applied upon fruit entry into storage rooms to prevent and control rots. PYR provides strong preventive and curative action against the main postharvest pathogens in apples and pears—Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea—and has long-lasting residual activity, offering excellent protection during extended storage and even preventing reinfections during later postharvest handling.

Additionally, as a fumigant treatment, FRUITFOG®-PYR does not require handling or wetting the fruit—no wastewater is generated. It is applied using an innovative electronic ignition system (e-Fog, Figure 1), making the process safe, easy, and versatile, again with no operator exposure.

Figure 1. e-Fog System

Our catalog also includes various solutions for drenchers, such as Citropyr®, a liquid fungicide based on PYR, and Greengard-Scald, a coating that enhances the fruit's appearance and helps prevent superficial scald in pears and Golden apples.

Furthermore, Citrosol has developed a robust system for the automatic monitoring and control of disinfection in water tanks used for dumping pears and apples. This system maintains proper hygiene conditions in the process water using a peracetic acid (PAA) solution, reducing the amount of inoculum in the water and thus preventing reinfections, decay, and complaints at destination.

This system also ensures food safety and promotes sustainability, as the process water remains in optimal condition for longer periods, saving water and energy:

• Food Safety
• Sustainable Solution
• Monitoring and Control
• Constant PAA Concentration
• Extended Shelf Life
• Proven Effectiveness (Figure 2)

Figure 2. Effectiveness of the automatic PAA disinfection system installed at a pome fruit storage and packing facility

In terms of in-line coatings to improve fruit appearance and shine, we offer a specific range for apples:

• Plantseal® Apples (Carnauba-based)
• Citrosol® A Apples EU (Shellac-based)

These coatings help enhance visual appeal while preserving fruit quality throughout storage and distribution.