SmartFresh (1-MCP)
A new tool for postharvest management of apples gained EPA approval and registration in 2002. SmartFresh, 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), is registered and marketed by AgroFresh, a Rohm and Haas company. The benefits that 1-MCP brings to the fruit industry are dramatic. The mode of action of 1-MCP involves inhibiting the ripening process by attaching to ethylene binding sites and rendering the fruit insensitive to ethylene exposure. This binding results in fruit that maintains firmness and acidity levels higher than untreated fruit. For treatment purposes, 1-MCP is a gas and needs to be applied in an airtight room or chamber. The product comes packaged in a proprietary generator system that must be returned after use. The amount of 1-MCP needed to treat apples depends upon the size of the room in which the fruit will be treated. 1-MCP has been shown to be very active at low concentrations. Its label rate for application is 1 ppm for a period of 24 hours. At the end of the 24-hour period, the room must be vented for at least 30 minutes before entering. Other benefits include inhibition of superficial scald in varieties like Delicious and Granny Smith that are prone to scald occurrence. Applications of 1-MCP should be made on fruit that is designated for intermediate to long-term storage. Do not treat apples that have had a preharvest application of ethephon. 1-MCP will not solve all postharvest problems, but it is an important tool in providing a quality product to the consumer.
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