How Can You Keep Produce Fresh
Up to Twice as Long?
The popularity of fresh fruits and vegetables has never
been higher. A desire for healthier eating, the farmto-table movement and the growing trend towards
vegetarian dishes have made fresh produce a bona
fide food star. In fact, in the National Restaurant
Association’s annual survey of professional chefs, four
of the top five ‘2015 Food Trends’ were:
• Locally grown produce
• Environmental sustainability
• Healthful kid’s meals
(including fruit and vegetable sides)
• Natural ingredients (minimally processed food)
Along with these well-established benefits, fresh
produce also presents challenges. Most notably, they
are short lived and subject to premature spoilage,
making them difficult to store and maintain. In spite
of post-harvest cleaning and treatment, fresh produce
and other stored foods contain mold, bacteria,
viruses and fungi. In addition, ethylene is a naturally
occurring plant hormone released by many fruits and
vegetables that speeds ripening. For example, ethylene
concentrations of only 1-10 parts-per-million (PPM) can
induce premature ripening.
Technology to the Rescue
To prevent or significantly postpone this spoilage,
restaurants today are increasingly embracing air
purification solutions. These are designed to remove
impurities from walk-in refrigerators by striping
microbes, ethylenes, hydrocarbons, odors and other
contaminants from the air.
A proven solution is Bluezone® Freshness
Enhancement Technology, which was originally
developed for the U.S. Army to help them preserve
produce shipped in 20-foot refrigerated containers
in support of troop deployments worldwide. This
technology has proven to extend the shelf live of fresh
fruits and vegetables and minimize flavor transfer for
delicate items like butter, chocolate, cake or pasta. It
also eliminates odors, any airborne bacteria and mold.
The combination of ethylene gas and airborne microbes
can circulate between stored produce and accelerate
ripening, mold growth, decay, wilting, spotting and
discoloration of valuable produce.
The compact APS300 fits into almost any Walk-in Refrigeration Unit
Tests on specific fruits and vegetables have shown
that Bluezone technology can:
• Extend asparagus shelf life by seven days
• Reduce peach ripening – more than doubling
firmness after 21 days
• Significantly reduce russet spotting on cauliflower
• Extend the life of cauliflower by more than two
weeks
• Extend the life of wrapped iceberg lettuce by five
days
• Reduce the incidence and extent of surface mold
and decay on cantaloupes
Airborne Contaminants
In addition to spoilage, food safety is a major
concern in any foodservice environment, especially
restaurants. Airborne contaminants play a major
role in the spread of foodborne illnesses such as
Salmonella, e. Coli and others. Refrigeration alone
does not eliminate the problem since microorganisms
frequently arise inside food-storage refrigerators.
In addition, bacteria, viruses, molds, spores and
food particles can enter walk-ins through improper
ventilation or human traffic.
Bluezone technology eliminates contaminants in
food storage refrigerators and walk-in coolers by
transforming these contaminants into harmless gases.
There are no filters; no harmful chemicals, sprays or
gases are introduced. Everything is treated in the unit
rather than in the cooler; air is drawn through the unit
and only clean air come out, unlike some technologies
that fill the cooler with ozone, creating a health hazard
and also potentially damaging both the refrigerated
environment and the food in it.
Chefs’ Choice
Few people are more appreciative of freshness
enhancement initiatives than restaurant chefs. They
deal with fresh produce every day and understand the
cost savings that accrue when produce stays fresher
longer. Benefits include less food waste, no flavor
transfer, a cleaner odor-free walk-in and reduced mold
in kitchen ventilation systems.
Richard Raso, owner of Raso’s Bar & Grille, an
Italian-American casual restaurant in Medford,
Massachusetts, installed Bluezone several years ago
with outstanding results. “My chef is very particular
and notices little things,” says Raso. “He is constantly
commenting about the difference this makes – the smell
in the walk-in is different. For example, we had some
strawberries in the walk-in that were moldy but the
mold never spread. Also, my sensitive fruit, like figs and
berries, lasts longer now.”
A highly successful application of freshness
enhancement technology can be found in the Franke
Foodservice Model APS300 (Air Purification System),
which was honored by the National Restaurant
Association as a 2015 Kitchen Innovation Award winner.
Franke’s compact APS300 is also drawing rave reviews
at Prezza, a fine dining restaurant in Boston’s North End.
Head Chef Robert Picardi says, “We make fresh pasta
every day. With this unit it lasts twice as long. We used
to throw pasta away after two or three days. But after
we installed this unit, the pasta has stayed fresh for a
week plus. Also, our lettuce doesn’t wilt as fast. It’s just
an amazing, amazing system.”
Franke Air Purification System (APS300)
How Does it Work?
The Franke Air Purification System (APS300) is a unique
and revolutionary technology for walk-in refrigerators.
Unlike other technologies that push ozone into the cooler,
creating a potential exposure hazard, the Air Purification
System uses ozone to transform contaminants into
harmless gases inside its compact stainless steel box. No
harmful chemicals, sprays or gases are introduced into the
atmosphere. Only clean, purified air comes out.
What Are the Benefits?
• Keeps produce fresh up to twice as long as a WalkIn unit without this technology.
• Eliminates flavor transfers among foods (something
Chefs are particularly interested in).
• Eliminates odors.
What Are the Applications?
The Franke APS300 can be used in any Walk-In
Refrigeration Unit that is up to 20’x20’ in size. It can be
used with any food including produce, proteins, pastas and
more.
Franke | 800 Aviation Parkway | Smyrna, TN 37167 | USA
Phone +1.877.379.3769 | frankeamericas.com
Document #20.110003552-REV 16Apr2015