SMART STORAGE CONTROL IN REEFER CONTAINERS AND THROUGH SUB-TERA HERZ SENSING FOR QUALITY PRESERVATION. Led by Inagro, Arvalis, CIRCOE, Port of Zwolle, the pilot will test potatoes in bags/packages of different sized placed; possibly within reefer containers, to identify the best strategy to preserve the quality during long-term transportation. 

The additional continuous monitoring through Sub-Tera Hertz (Sub-THz) technology of the potato skin in contact with different packaging material (wood, plastics,…), carried out by Multitel, will provide further data/details to evaluate the demonstrator´s viability and benefits. Measurements through a non-transparent material will supply other interesting conclusions. 

THz experiments will last 18 Months through different campaigns of products/packages provided by the partners.

Terahertz Imaging has already been applied in other fields and for other products (Coatings – Pharmaceutics – Recycling – Process control – Security – Biomedical), thus proving the value of the DODILog pilot in terms of innovation transfer.

The trials in reefer containers will include piloting advanced fogging solutions able to disperse natural sprout suppressants for potatoes in a uniform manner. The key idea is to use the container itself as the treatment chamber to extend the potatoe dormancy period and apply the sprout inhibitors directly inside the loaded container. The demonstrator utilises the paper dataloggers for temperature control also tested in another DODILog pilot. 

Multitel THz concept for testing potatoes degradation in function of package type

Innovation transfer: Sub-THz applied in the pharma sector (Image Credit: Multitel)