UK potato industry set to benefit from new method to maintain fingerling colour after successful trials
The exclusive UK distributor of StoreGuard, a new way to keep potatoes brown, is gearing up for its first full season.
Following approval from the Chemicals Regulation Department (CRD), Biofresh Safestore was awarded UK distribution rights for StoreGuard in November 2023. The company is now actively promoting the approach to UK potato growers and processors, based on four years of trial data.
StoreGuard, manufactured by chemical company AgroFresh, uses a synthetic plant growth regulator called 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to reduce colour change in the fry.
This color change can sometimes occur in potatoes stored for processing when ethylene is used as a sprout inhibitor.
However, StoreGuard is only applied early in the storage process before ethylene treatment begins. StoreGuard soluble tablets are then introduced to the activator solution in pouches that are placed inside the storage bin.
As well as helping to maintain fingerling colour, StoreGuard also protects stored crops from the ‘shock’ of introducing ethylene, which reduces transpiration rates, resulting in weight loss and reduced storage fan usage time.
Jeremy Barraclough, operations manager at BioFresh SafeStore, said: “Combining SafeGuard with the ethylene-based SafeStore system is a highly effective way of inhibiting germination and combating the effects on fry colour that can occur in some varieties with ethylene treatment.”
He added: “Both SafeGuard and SafeStore have no detectable residues in potatoes and data from commercial trials carried out under an experimental licence in Europe shows the benefits of applying 1-MCP.”
Simon Faulkner, independent agronomist and director of SDF Agriculture, commented: “StoreGuard has been demonstrated to protect several processing potato varieties from the potential detrimental effects of ethylene on fingerling colour.”
Faulkner has been involved in commercial trials of StoreGuard for the past three years. He adds: “When applied before the ethylene treatment begins, the effectiveness of StoreGuard typically lasts through April.”
“By combining the careful introduction of ethylene with controlled carbon dioxide levels, StoreGuard helps maintain the quality of processing potatoes during storage.”
