How to Extend Cherry Freshness

Cherries are one of the most demanding fruits in modern horticulture. They are harvested within a very short harvest window, often shipped to distant markets, and reach consumers almost ready to eat. Any detail in the postharvest process, from the loss of firmness to the browning of the stem, can make the difference between a high-value shipment and a lot with claims and commercial discounts.

In recent years, beyond cold storage and good handling practices, new solutions have been introduced that act directly on ripening processes to help extend shelf-life and enhance the commercial quality of cherries. One of them is Vidre+™, a 1-MCP-based technology offered by Janssen PMP to the postharvest sector and applied directly inside the package.

The Postharvest Challenge of Cherries

Unlike other fruits, cherries gain virtually no quality after harvest. The crunchy texture, glossy skin, and green stem expected by consumers depend largely on what happens in the orchard, in the packinghouse, and during transport.

Packers and exporters face several key challenges regarding cherry postharvest management. They must maintain pulp firmness and avoid softening, limit weight loss and wrinkling caused by dehydration, reduce pitting and other physiological disorders associated with handling, and preserve the green stem, a visual indicator that strongly influences consumer purchase decisions.

With increasingly long seasons and shipments to high-value markets, having tools that help maintain freshness and commercial appearance for longer has become a strategic priority for the sector.

Vidre+™: 1-MCP Delivered from the Packaging Label

Vidre+™ is a system developed for the gradual release of 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene), a plant growth regulator widely used in postharvest. In Europe and the United Kingdom, the technology is commercialized by Janssen PMP Crop Management.

The mechanism relies on a well-known principle. Fruits produce ethylene, a hormone that binds to specific receptors and triggers ripening and senescence. Vidre+™ stickers are placed inside each cherry box, bag, or clamshell, where they release 1-MCP that blocks part of those ethylene receptors and helps slow respiration and fruit ripening.

Vidre+™ is integrated directly into the packaging. One label per box or clamshell is applied on the packing line. The programmed release allows the dose to be adjusted to the size of the package and ensures protection during storage, transport, and retail display, without modifying the existing cold chain infrastructure.

Observed Benefits in Cherries: Firmness, Weight, and Stem Color

Official trials with Kordia, Regina, and Staccato cherries have evaluated the impact of Vidre+™ on product quality during cold storage and the subsequent shelf-life period.

Results indicate that Vidre+™ can reduce weight loss in the first days of cold storage and during longer conservation periods, maintain pulp firmness for a longer time, preserve stem color for more days, decrease the incidence of pitting and other physiological disorders, and extend consumer quality levels. In part of the trials, antioxidant and vitamin C contents were also higher compared to the control fruit.

Taken together, these effects help cherries retain the appearance and freshness demanded by high-value markets.

Added Value for Growers, Packers, and Retail

For growers, packers, and exporters, extending the shelf-life of cherries provides operational flexibility. It allows more time for packing, planning shipments, reaching distant markets, and meeting customer requirements without compromising quality. It also reduces the risk of claims and commercial discounts associated with fruit that shows a tired appearance or brown stems.

For distributors and retailers, cherries that maintain firmness, shine, and green stems for more days help reduce shrink at the store level and provide a more consistent consumer experience.

Vidre+™ is presented as an additional tool within the cherry postharvest strategy. It is complementary to cold storage, controlled atmospheres, and good handling practices, with the shared objective of preserving the commercial value of every kilogram harvested.

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