Maximizing freshness and minimizing losses of agriculture products through automated atmosphere management in storage facilities

Project Information

MAX-FRESH

Grant agreement ID: 958840

DOI

10.3030/958840

Project closed

EC signature date 1 July 2020

Start date 1 October 2020

End date 31 March 2024

Funded under

• Horizon 2020 Framework Programme

Total cost

€ 2 817 697,50

EU contribution

€ 2 165 893,50

Coordinated by

STOREX BELGIE
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - MAX-FRESH (Maximizing freshness and minimizing losses of agriculture products through automated atmosphere management in storage facilities)

Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Today, the fresh produce supply chain is highly unsustainable: 33% of the produced fruit and vegetables is either lost or wasted, of which 10% occurs during long-term storage. This loss also has a major financial impact on the food industry. For stored apples, pears and blueberries alone, the global economic loss equals €6.1 billion per year. However, a significant part of current storage losses could be prevented if only continuous monitoring of stored products was possible so that appropriate measures can be taken.

In the MAX-FRESH project, we will develop the innovative ISS-Monitor: world’s first automated multi-species trace gas sensor that can simultaneously and in real-time detect low levels of 7 volatile gases that indicate ripening, fermentation, damage or rotting of stored fruit.

Once unfavorable conditions are detected, the ISS-Monitor will provide automated alerts to enable timely and effective interventions by its customers. The ISS-Monitor has the potential to reduce losses of stored fresh food by 50%, extend storage life with 20%, and reduce post-harvest chemical treatments with 50%.

The MAX-FRESH project builds on a functional prototype of the ISS-Monitor which demonstrated proof-of performance in a relevant environment. During the MAX-FRESH project, we will take the final steps required to launch the ISS-Monitor on the market. To do so, we apply for €2.2 million (77%) from the EC. The MAX-FRESH project will be performed by a complementary consortium of 3 market-leading industrial partners and 1 academic partner, combining cutting-edge technologies with unique expertise. After completing the MAX-FRESH project in 2023, the ISS-Monitor will be ready for market launch. By doing so, the ISS-Monitor will make an impact on the global food production system by contributing to sustainable food production for the ever-growing world population.

The shared goal of the MAX-FRESH consortium is to introduce a commercially viable version of the ISS-Monitor on the market upon completion of this project. To reach this goal, the following project objectives have been set:

Objective 1: Industrial prototyping of the existing advanced ISS-Monitor towards a commercially viable model that meets all technical, qualitative and quantitative requirements.

Objective 2: Optimize software and user-interface of the ISS-Monitor system for automated analysis and alerts and to ensure compatibility and easy integration with current storage monitoring and control equipment.

Objective 3: Set up and scale up ISS-Monitor manufacturing for demonstration and commercialization purposes, and verify that ISS-Monitor meets all regulatory requirements and specifications.

Objective 4: Validate and demonstrate the ISS-Monitor in an operational environment.

Objective 5: Perform business development activities to optimally prepare for market launch and commercialization of the ISS-Monitor.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During RP3, significant advancements were in the MAX-FRESH project enhancing system performance and reliability.

Three mid-infrared supercontinuum lasers with a total average power of ~450mW, tailored for ISS monitoring systems, were built, tested, and delivered to RU. During RP3, their spectral densities were optimized to maintain uniformity with the RP2 lasers. A compact "Module-laser" was also developed, but its optical power spectral density limited its use in current ISS systems. Additionally, most engineering time in RP3 focused on developing the silica-ZBLAN splice recipe, crucial for the ISS laser's reliability and longevity.

The 3rd MPC version improved on its predecessors but still had issues, particularly with the transmitted laser beam stability necessary for system calibration. Unforeseen outcomes required live testing through three additional design iterations until the project's performance goals were met. To ensure beam stability in a vacuum, the internal volume was doubled, which allowed for screws instead of glue to secure the mirrors. This design change simplified production and reduced labor time, also benefiting end users by making mirror maintenance, such as cleaning, easier.

The ISS2 monitor was completed and tested. The laser's temperature control box malfunctioned, causing instability due to thermal effects. This was resolved by adding tubing for additional isolation and adjusting the laser box's TEC to keep the inner fan running, reducing thermal inertia. The LabView software (ISSPro) was partially rewritten to replace dysfunctional code and improve error handling. Long-term system tests were conducted to identify and fix remaining bugs, with an enhanced fitting algorithm introduced to handle nonlinear baselines. An email service was set up to send daily measurements in Excel format.

After initial testing and bug fixing, ISS2 was moved to WUR in Randwijk for validation, with ongoing support provided. ISS3 was assembled, and the assembly documentation was improved. Additional operational and software manuals were written. Finally, after a service check-up, ISS1 was successfully installed at a storage facility in Belgium.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Despite the unavailability of some electronic components, the first industrial prototype will be ready at the 31th of March 2022. The MAX-FRESH project will enable rapid market launch and uptake of the ISS-Monitor, a one-of-its-kind innovation that will revolutionize the fresh food industry, thereby creating significant impact on both the consortium partners, the fresh food supply chain, and society. Details of expected impacts are set out in the following 6 points (all details are provided in the technical report due to character limit):

A. Fast commercial take-up of a sustainable innovative solution for tackling societal challenges

B. Time to initial market take-up within 3 years after the beginning of this FTI project

C. Enhanced competitiveness and growth of business partners

D. Increased industry participation and more industry first-time applicants to Horizon 2020

E. Leveraging more private investments into research and/or innovation

F. Addressing transnational value-chains and/or EU-wide or global markets

ISS-Monitor-2 Complete System