 Question
Index
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Can the Tectrol pallet system
be used to complement food safety programs?
Yes. While primarily designed to inhibit mold and decays on fresh
berries, the inherit nature of our sealed system offers some additional
assurances against food tampering, contamination and material trace back.
Please visit our resource center article "Tectrol and Food Safety" for a full
discussion.
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What is TECTROL® Atmosphere?
TECTROL® Atmosphere is the trademarked brand name for Transfresh's
family of proprietary Modified and Controlled Atmosphere systems and processes.
The TransFRESH Pallet Service utilizes a TECTROL® Modified Atmosphere process
specific for strawberries and other berries such as raspberries, blackberries
and blueberries. The active atmosphere component specific to fresh berries is a
mixture containing high levels of carbon dioxide sealed inside an
engineered plastic bag. The process is listed by the Organic
Materials Review Institute for use in the production of organic foods.
TECTROL® is the industry standard in pallet MA treatment for fresh berries.
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Why use TECTROL®?
TECTROL® protects your berry purchases from shipping point all the way
through retail sale, by slowing the development of market disorders such as wet
and leaky or decayed. Reduced shrink at retail (i.e. improved yield) will
average between 4 to 7% (clamshell packages) compared to berries not shipped in
TECTROL®. Reduced shrink may be even higher depending on the initial
condition of the berry. The high carbon dioxide concentration sealed in at
shipping point and maintained inside the pallet bag specifically inhibits gray
mold development (botrytis).
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What economics justify the use
of TECTROL®?
TECTROL® saves money by reducing retail shrink, and represents an
excellent return on investment (ROI) in the berry category. For every $.26
cents spent on TECTROL®, customers net back $.38 cents at retail (based on 4%
retail level shrink savings at $2.00 per pound). In addition to these retail
category economics, shippers have a greater assurance that their strawberry
shipment will arrive at the distribution center with minimal risk
of claims.
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How does Transfresh assure that
the right levels of CO2 are in the Tectrol bag?
TransFRESH provides each shipper with customized materials and
equipment to help assure efficient and consistent application of the TECTROL®
process. Transfresh technicians continually monitor
equipment and service techniques at each shipper. Machines are set to deliver a
measured amount of CO2 every type of pallet unit. TransFRESH routinely
spot checks atmosphere arrivals at DC's throughout the country. By
actively monitoring the TECTROL® performance at both shipping and receiving on
a routine basis, you are assured that the correct levels of TECTROL® are
sealed in the bag.
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What about other technologies?
TECTROL® has set the standard for a viable Pallet Modified Atmosphere
process. Alternate bag systems which do not rely on a sealed enclosure are not
a true modified atmosphere as no effective atmosphere
component can be contained.
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Why is there no large
difference between TECTROL® treated pallets and pallets with no treatments on
arrival?
Generally, if quality is strong, we wouldn't expect a major
difference on arrival. Even "no bag" versus TECTROL® shows only subtle
differences on arrival. Over the past 25 years, TECTROL® has proven its value
to the retail trade two to three days after arrival. TECTROL® serves
as an effective "insurance" against in-store shrink.
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Does TransFRESH offer the best
Modified Atmosphere system available?
We believe the TECTROL® pallet system is the best MA technology
available for berries today. TransFRESH has been a business partner/vendor with
the strawberry trade for over 30 years. We measure our performance at shipping
and at unloading. We adapt our systems rapidly to changes in packaging. We are
experts in ensuring the right MA conditions.
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When do I remove the TECTROL®
bag?
Remove the bag upon arrival.
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Doesn't the benefit of
TECTROL® go away?
No. There is a "lag effect". Berries treated with the TECTROL® MA
system during transit simply do not deteriorate as quickly as berries without
TECTROL®. Appearance is maintained, and shelf life is extended. Data
collected at store level shows TECTROL®-treated berries had 3% less shrink than
non-treated fruit after one day. After 3 days, treated berries had 7% less
shrink than non-treated fruit. See more data on retail benefits
here.
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Where can I find more
information on TECTROL® Modified Atmosphere systems?
TECTROL® Atmospheres represent TransFRESH's most current knowledge on
the application of controlled and modified atmosphere systems for the
protection of perishables in the commercial world. If you have special needs or
circumstances, contact us. New research is ongoing
in many institutions and labs around the world. An excellent resource other
then TransFRESH is the
University of California at Davis which also maintains a comprehensive
website with postharvest technology research and information.
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Do TECTROL® treated
strawberries arrive warmer than non-treated strawberries?
Yes. In careful side by side studies comparing temperature profiles of
strawberries loaded without TECTROL® (no bag) and with TECTROL®, the TECTROL®
product averaged 2F warmer then open pallets. However, during subsequent,
post-arrival observations, the TECTROL®-treated fruit proved to
have less mold and longer shelf life than the matched, non-treated fruit
despite the temperature difference. More Information on
Retail Services>>
There are many factors which contribute to in transit warming of any
perishable. For a full discussion of this issue, please visit our Resource
Center article " Solving the Problem of In-Transit Warming
of Perishables".
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